Our Focus

Fisheries Management

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Marine resources face mounting pressure from mismanagement, poorly planned development, overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and the impacts of climate change. The need to strengthen our ability to address these challenges at scale is particularly urgent at a time when many of the world’s fisheries are in a state of ecological collapse. Improved management is a vital key to sustaining the world’s fish stocks and maintaining the economic, health, and ecosystem benefits presented by this resource.

Starling Resources implements approaches that address critical gaps in fishery management and governance. We systematically assess fisheries management needs and capacities across sectors at the appropriate scale and then facilitate collaborative and science-based decision making to identify workable measures to meet agreed upon social, economic and environmental objectives. We recognize the importance of the enabling environment required for effective stewardship of local, national, and regional fisheries and we work to strengthen the institutions, policies, capacities, and processes on which effective management is built.

Fisheries Management 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)

    Project documents and reports
    • Guide Book
    • Site Selection Report
    • Lampung Site Characterization
    • Lampung BSC management action plan

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