The Potential for Fisheries Co-Management in the Somali Region

The Somalia Fisheries Forum 2019 in Garowe convened fisheries stakeholders to design a roadmap for successful small-scale fisheries in the region. As part of the forum, participants discussed the potential for cooperative management (co-management) to be implemented in Somali coastal communities. Co-management is a governance structure that establishes a partnership between resource users and government to effectively manage and benefit from fisheries resources. Co-management has been used successfully in fishing communities around the world to involve community members in local management of their resources. The Somali region is beginning the process of establishing co-management to support coastal livelihood security through long-term, sustainable fisheries. This report presents examples of successful co-management implementations in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Liberia and provides strategies that may be useful in Somali efforts. The case studies were presented at the Somalia Fisheries Forum 2019, and audience feedback is incorporated into the discussion of the potential for co-management success in the Somali region. 

Read the Somalia Fisheries Forum 2019 Outcomes Report for more information about the forum and other interesting key findings.