Stakeholder engagement and participatory decision-making
Ecological systems are inextricably intertwined with other complex systems, such as local and regional economies, community social structures, and overlapping governance jurisdictions. Sustainability initiatives that do not receive support from, and provide benefits to, local resource users and other stakeholders will likely face insurmountable barriers to successful implementation. Active participation and commitment from all stakeholders is key necessity in driving long-term impacts, while participatory decision-making can unlock previously untenable solutions to challenging environmental problems.
Starling Resources has demonstrated expertise in identifying and engaging stakeholders across sectors, and in facilitating group planning and decision-making processes. The Starling Resources team supports challenging collaborative planning processes by providing process design and facilitation, training and mentoring, institutional development, and regulatory recognition as needed. We carefully integrate socioeconomic, gender and cultural perspectives within sustainable natural resource management planning.
Selected Projects
Blue Swimming Crab Sustainable Fishery Initiative
Project summary
Blue swimming crab is the nation’s third most valuable export fishery and supports livelihoods for thousands of Indonesians. However, data and anecdotal evidence point to declining stocks and value. Fisheries management is critical to ensuring fishery sustainability. However, while Indonesia has embraced best practices in fisheries management, in practice there few examples exist of well managed fisheries in Indonesia.
The BSC-SFI is an initiative to implement participatory, science-based management at an appropriate scale with explicit consideration to the cross-sectoral nature of fisheries systems. The initiative brings together relevant stakeholders from across sectors to collaboratively develop and implement fisheries management plans. The methods and approaches tested through this initiative will be a model for other fisheries and point the way toward improving fisheries management in Indonesia. The fisheries management plan developed through this effort will also support national BSC fishery management planning (RPP) and Indonesia’s commitment to the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM).
Our services
In 2015, Starling Resources with support from other partners, designed and hosted a national workshop for BSC stakeholders to identify challenges and opportunities regarding BSC sustainability in Indonesia. Participants identified opportunities to improve BSC sustainability and prioritized the development of a pilot project to test best practice approaches to BSC management. Starling Resources has since worked under the leadership of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, local governments, and the Indonesian BSC Processors Association (APRI), and in close partnership with EDF and many other organizations, to design and implement the BSC-SFI. Phases and milestones completed to date include:
- Systematic and collaborative pilot site selection
- Socialization and characterization of the pilot site (Lampung)
- Launching of the Lampung multi-stakeholder management planning team
- Completion of the fishery management planning process including collaborative decision-making, broad consultations, and capacity development to accommodate each step in the planning process
- Launching of the Lampung BSC management “action plan” including a science-based adaptive management cycle
- Launching of the Lampung BSC management implementation committee
Project term
2016 – 2020
Clients and Partners
The David and Lucille Packard Foundation (Client)
The Walton Family Foundation (Client)
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Partner)
Asosiasi Pengelolaan Rajungan Indonesia (APRI) (Partner)
Environmental Defense Fund – Yayasan Bina Usaha Lingkungan (Partner)