Fisheries stakeholders help shape the Pacific Community’s next Strategy 2021+

What are the longer-term capabilities and investments needed for a futures ready fisheries and oceans sector for genuine transformative development in the Pacific? This was the focus of the side event on the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Strategy 2021+ at the 13th Heads of Fisheries Meeting on 1 June.

The side event connected participants to  SPC’s next strategic plan development and to the longer-term strategic direction for its Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) division’s work. Through an innovative futures-oriented approach, ‘the futures triangle’, participants engaged in a virtual interactive session to explore how SPC could best contribute to the science we need for 2030 aspirations of the fisheries and oceans sector.

The futures triangle exercise involved mapping the vision of a preferred future for fisheries science in consideration of the scientific and technical work of the FAME division to current day activities and challenges of the past. The exercise builds on a Pacific approach to futures and foresight being designed by SPC for its Strategy Plan 21+.

Emerging areas of work identified through participants visions include the development of interactive web portals, national science capacity building, investment in the development of new tools and next generations software including artificial intelligence and plans for strategic assets and infrastructure needed by members across the oceanic and coastal fisheries sectors.

In addition to the science and technical expertise that the work of SPC is known for, there were calls for SPC to consider the inclusion of more economic and social facets of the fisheries and ocean space.

Below is a word cloud summary highlighting some of the themes that emerged from the futures triangle exercise.

wordcloud

Over 100 people participated in this event with representation from 24 countries and territories; American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu, United States of America, Vanuatu, Wallis et Futuna, including donors, partners, NGOs and academics

The engagement events correspond to SPC’s 2021 Transition Plan’s Key Focus Areas. These include:

  1. Equity, education, and social development
  2. Food systems
  3. Blue Pacific Health (Planetary health)
  4. Blue Pacific economies and livelihoods
  5. Natural Resources, & biodiversity
  6. Transforming institutional effectiveness and
  7. Sustainable systems and climate action.

The diagram below is a demonstration of FAME’s contribution to SPC’s key focal areas.

Sustainable systems and climate action

Guided by its members, SPC is using futures and foresight methodology for developing the strategy and will continue to engage for input until August 2021.

Information on the outcomes of the Heads of Fisheries meeting can be found here. Any queries about the strategic plan may be directed to Sarah Mecartney, Principal Strategy Advisor [email protected]

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