Concept note for ACP Fish II AbstractThis concept note describes a design process that has as its main output, an agreed project document for the proposed "ACP Fish II", a project which aims to foster improved institutional capacity for fisheries and aquatic resources management. It specifically addresses knowledge requirements for sustainable management in ACP countries at all levels of decision-making.
Critical to the identification of these requirements will be an understanding of existing management systems and the role of information flow within these. During the Design Stage, project partners will determine management-specific objectives within a policy context and relative to the involvement of state and civil society institutions. This will require a thorough analysis of existing management mechanisms and their effectiveness. Equally it will require an appreciation of the relevance of different types of research-based knowledge and information tools to different stakeholder groups and the channels of communication between them. These will be key issues if information needs are to be translated through the project into improved capacity for management.
The proposal adopts the position that research could and should be more responsive to sectoral information needs. Much research is still perceived as generating knowledge of little value in informing policy on fisheries management. The Design Stage proposes to examine ways that research can capture information needs and recommend processes for its generation and dissemination to support more effective management decisions.
The approach presented centres on a broad consultation and appraisal process involving a series of "Situation and Needs Appraisals? and workshops leading to the final and principal output - a well-defined and regionally accepted project document.
