Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries: 2010–2019 - "FISHING FOR THE FUTURE" - Volume 1.

This national Strategic Planning Framework (SPF) for fisheries sector in Cambodia for the 10 year period 2010 – 2019 is a sectoral document, which aims to support the achievement of Cambodia’s Millennium Development Goals, implementation of the National Strategic Development Plan, and compliance with the Law on Fisheries. It is intended for the guidance of all stakeholders in the fisheries sector and to give provenance and guidance to their supporting development and action plans. The Strategic Planning Framework sets out the vision for the future of the fisheries sector in Cambodia and the goals that must be reached in order to implement it. The vision for the fisheries sector in Cambodia is: “Management, conservation, and development of sustainable fisheries resources to contribute to ensuring people’s food security and to socioeconomic development in order to enhance people’s livelihoods and the nation’s prosperity”. The three fundamental pillars are fisheries (inland and marine), aquaculture (inland and marine), and post harvest and trade.
The fisheries sector plays an important role in domestic food security, providing over 81.5% of the animal protein in the national diet and also forming a critical source of essential vitamins and micro-nutrients. This SPF seeks to ensure people’s food security, using a twin-track approach. One of the key goals of this SPF is: “fish is a plentiful, healthy and valuable source of food”. The key areas for strategic intervention will include: increasing rice field fisheries; supporting the growth of small, medium and large-scale freshwater aquaculture; developing marine fisheries and mariculture; making improvements in post-harvest processing and reducing post-harvest loss and waste at small scale operators.
The SPF focus on economic and international trade growth in the fisheries sector and take into account the sustainable development of the sector. It addresses the growth in a balanced and integrated manner. The main objectives for the inland fisheries are set to support and increase the carrying capacity of the wetlands system (especially the rice fields), and targets for river and lake fisheries mainly relate to the protection of the ecosystem services that are necessary to the sustainment of fish diversity and numbers. Priority shall be given to conservation and protection including: the mapping, demarcation and protection of flooded forest; the protection and conservation of Upper Mekong deep pools; the area of critical fisheries habitats under sustainable management. National wild fish capture production will be stabilized and sustained at not more than 500,000 tonnes per year, while research and development to identify commercially viable production of indigenous species in cooperation with regional interventions shall be implemented. The SPF also addresses preparation and implementation of scientifically-based plans for the sustainable exploitation of marine fisheries.
The improvement of livelihoods of people in the sector is one of the key goals of this SPF. In order for the fisheries sector to contribute significantly to the employment and livelihoods of the poor, the SFP sets a number of targets and indicators that focus specifically on poor and disadvantaged groups, such as: the reduction of small-scale fishers and fish processors living below the national poverty line; increasing the ability of women to participate effectively and on an equal basis in fisheries activities; improved employment opportunities through interventions at the community level. Progress towards these targets will be monitored regularly and specifically targeted interventions will be incorporated into the Fisheries Development Action Plan. Strategic intervention will be taken to support livelihood diversification away from capture fisheries, especially for poor, disadvantaged and vulnerable people in order to help them out of poverty. In development and action planning, priority will be given to certain areas such as research and development, human resource development at central and local level. For aquaculture, in order to achieve immediate growth whilst also maintaining a pro-poor focus, the main interventions will be to support small and family-scale development, primarily through training, the provision of fingerlings, and establishing risk management systems. For fishery, community fishery and rice fisheries production will be the priorities. In Cambodia, many children are involved in fisheries practices, some of which could be hazardous or prevent these children from taking part in formal education. Interventions of the expansion of livelihood opportunities leading to increased income for the poor and to eliminate the worst form of child labour and work in fisheries sector are also requested in the SPF.
One of the key goals of this SPF is “fishing businesses are profitable, sustainable and responsible”. Post-harvest quality, standards, processes and procedures are identified as core to the achievement of real improvements in livelihoods and trade (both national and international). The interventions will focus on improving quality and enhancing access to markets. One of the key targets is that co-operative associations will provide established and functioning channels to access finance and markets by the end of 2019. The Fisheries Administration will develop standards and guidelines to help improve processing, quality, packaging and safety and will implement formal registration and inspection processes, and great attention will be paid to ensuring that they do not add unnecessarily to the administrative burden on either large or small businesses.
Diseases, especially in aquaculture, and loss of breeding habitat and declining wild stocks because of climate change, environmental degradation, damming, land conversion and deforestation are recognized as two threats to the development of the fisheries sector.
The co-ordination, harmonization and management of the development of the fisheries sector towards its vision is the core role and responsibility of the Fisheries Administration (FiA). The FiA’s principal mandate is to implement this vision; the Strategic Planning Framework is a key step in this process. According to the SPF, the responsibility for achieving the vision for the fisheries sector will be a collaborative process involving the government, the private sector, fishing communities, Commune Councils, donors and NGOs. The roles which will be played by each participant group will be agreed through a collaborative process of negotiation keeping in mind the statutory requirements of the different ministries, departments and agencies of government, both at central and sub-national levels.