Appels d'offres publiés
Page 3 / 3Seychelles' report to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative
DEPARTMENT OF BLUE ECONOMY, OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT TERMS OF REFERENCE INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT (LUMP SUM CONTRACT) | Country: | Seychelles | Name of Project Implementation: | Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) | Project No. | P155642 | Name of Consulting Assignment: | Preparation of Seychelles’ National Report to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative | Contract Duration | 6 months The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) is a global multi-stakeholder initiative. Its purpose is to increase transparency and participation in fisheries governance to promote improvements in the sustainable management of marine fisheries. The FiTI is voluntary, global initiative; however, mandatory requirements must be followed. To become an official FiTI Candidate Country, countries must complete six requirements (sign-up steps) with the active participation of a National Multi Stakeholder Group (NMSG). Based on these requirements, engaging in the FiTI implementation process requires a sound understanding of the country’s stakeholders, its legal framework, data availability and quality. Seychelles are strongly committed to implement the FiTI and its candidature application was approved in April 2020. The Department of Blue Economy is now seeking to appoint an individual consultant to support the FiTI-NMSG of Seychelles in the publication of a FiTI Report in accordance with the provisions set forth in the FiTI Standard. The purpose of the FiTI Report is: • To demonstrate whether the FiTI transparency requirements have been fulfilled by Seychelles, i.e. if the information published by national authorities is accessible and complete, and represents the best available information; • To provide a succinct summary of information on each of the 12 transparency requirements to contribute to public debates, and • To determine recommendations of the National NMSG to improve transparency and participation in marine fisheries in Seychelles over time. Key deliverables of the consultancy assignment include presentation of the initial assessment to NMSG and a draft FiTI Report in accordance with the mandatory report structure set out in the guidance note “Compiling FiTI Reports”. The Department of Blue Economy is now inviting individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Applications shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae of the individual. The deadline for submission of applications is 5th June 2020 at 15:30 hours and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Preparation of Seychelles’ National Report to the Fisheries Transparency Initiative”. Interested individuals may obtain further details and a full TOR from Mr Abel Sorry ([email protected]). The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s Guideline for Selection and employment of consultant, Ed 2011 revised July 2014. Please submit your applications to: Mr Kenneth Racombo Principal Secretary The Blue Economy Department Vice President’s Office P.O. Box 1303 Oliaji Trade Centre 3rd Floor, Room 3 Tel: +248 4326200 Email: [email protected] cc: [email protected]
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SPECIALIST
Department of Blue Economy Terms of Reference for an Individual Consultant, Time-based Contract ‘Environmental & Social Expert’ for SWIOFish3 Project | Country: | Seychelles | Name of Project Implementation: | Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) | Project No. | P155642 | Name of Consulting Assignment: | Environmental and Social Expert The Republic of Seychelles is currently implementing the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3). The objective of SWIOFish3 is to improve management of marine areas and fisheries in targeted zones and strengthen fisheries value chains in the Seychelles. SWIOFish3 is financed by the loans and grants from the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project is further financed by the issuance of the World’s first sovereign Blue Bond. The proceeds of the Blue Bond (US$15 million) are being used to capitalise the Blue Grants Fund (BGF) of the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) and the Blue Investment Fund (BIF) of the Development Bank of Seychelles (DBS). The World Bank safeguards policies aim at preventing and mitigating undue harm to people and their environment in the development process. Under this framework, specific measures and strategies are designed to ensure strong protections for people and for the environment in any investment projects. Based on these core principles, the SWIOFish3 Project Implementation Unit (PIU) embedded within the Department of Blue Economy is expected to oversee the implementation and supervision of measures to address any environmental and social impacts deriving from SWIOFish3 activities through the project's life. To ensure this key responsibility is delivered, a full-time Environmental and Social (E&S) Safeguards Specialist has been recruited to the PIU for the duration of the project. In addition, the Government of Seychelles prepared an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and a Process Framework (PF) to identify and address the main environmental and social impacts of the project. The ESMF provides the environmental and social due diligence principles and processes that need to be followed, as well as the measures to be implemented by project stakeholders and beneficiaries to mitigate potential negative impacts. The PF provides the criteria and procedures to be followed when a sub-project activity is identified as having a potentially adverse socioeconomic impact on existing rights, assets or livelihoods. In order to ensure that these safeguard requirements are met and properly implemented, the Department of Blue Economy is recruiting an Environmental and Social Expert to provide capacity building for the E&S Safeguards Specialist as well as backstopping services during busy periods of the BGF and BIF call cycles. The main objective of this assignment is to provide mentoring to the E&S Safeguards Specialist and technical backstopping support to the PIU in the implementation of the ESMF and PF provisions for subprojects financed by SWIOFish3 project funds and subprojects funded through the BGF and BIF. The deadline for submission of expression of interest (EOI) is 29th May 2020 at 15.00 Hrs. EOIs shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Environmental and Social Expert”. Interested applicants may obtain further details and a full TOR from Miss Danielle Jupiter ([email protected]). The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s procedures and using ‘Individual Consultant’ procurement method. Completed EOIs should be delivered by email or post to: Mr. Kenneth Racombo Principal Secretary Department of Blue Economy Vice President’s Office P.O. Box 1303 Oliaji Trade Centre 3rd Floor, Room 3 Tel: +248 4326200 Email: [email protected] cc: [email protected]
Development of Strategic Management Framework for Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT ‘Development of a Strategic Management Framework for Sustainable-use Marine Protected Areas in Seychelles’ • INTRODUCTION The Republic of Seychelles is a tropical archipelago of 115 islands in the Western Indian Ocean, consisting of a total land area of 444 km2 and an Exclusive Economic Zone of over 1.37 million km2. The country is endowed with rich biodiversity and is a global biodiversity hotspot. Marine tourism and fisheries are significant contributors to the local economy, both relying on healthy marine ecosystems. In consideration of the importance of conserving marine resources and a growing concern for climate change impacts, the Government of Seychelles is committed to a Blue Economy agenda and a 30% marine protection goal. The Seychelles Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Initiative was initiated in 2014 and is a process that is focused on building resilience and sustainable use of marine ecosystems at the scale of the entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The overall goal for the MSP Initiative is to develop an integrated marine plan to optimise the sustainable use and effective management of Seychelles’ marine environment while improving the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of its people. The MSP Initiative is a Government-led process, with planning and facilitation by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In order to develop a comprehensive marine plan, the process enables input from a diverse array of stakeholders, encompassing commercial fishing, tourism and marine charters, biodiversity conservation, renewable and non-renewable energy, and maritime transport, safety and security authorities. The plan has identified zones for marine protection that meet high and medium biodiversity objectives (15% of the EEZ each in each zone). In February 2018, the first phase of the process was completed with the creation of two new protected areas covering a total area of more than 200,000 km2. In April 2019, Milestone 2 was completed and at present 26% of the EEZ has been designated as protected areas. The MSP Initiative is currently in the process of designating Milestone 3 areas, with the ultimate goal of 30% of Seychelles’ marine environment zoned for conservation or sustainable-use by March 2020. Implementation of the MSP, in terms of managing the sustainable-use protected areas according to allowable activities, is scheduled to start in 2021. This timeline will coincide with the establishment of the Ocean Authority, which will be mandated to coordinate MSP implementation. To prepare for implementation, it is necessary to develop a framework that will outline key design and operational aspects of management, including definition of management units, scope of management plans, and the roles and responsibilities of the institutions that will manage activities in sustainable-use zones according to existing or planned mandates. Once adopted by stakeholders, the framework will guide the preparation and implementation of management plans. The Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) is part of the broader SWIOFish program launched by the World Bank in February 2015, which adopts a regional and long term approach to supporting the South West Indian Ocean countries in sustainably developing their fisheries sector. In Seychelles, SWIOFish3 is supporting the expansion of sustainable-use marine protected areas and improved management of priority fisheries, which includes support towards the implmentation of the MSP and sustainable mangement of the EEZ. With support from the SWIOFish3 project, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC) is now recruiting a consultant to develop a strategic management framework for sustainable-use marine protected areas in Seychelles. • OBJECTIVES The goal of this assignment is to develop a strategic framework that will guide the development and implementation of management plans for sustainable-use MPAs designated under the Seychelles MSP. The specific objectives of the assignment are to: • facilitate stakeholder agreement on defining spatially explicit management framework and management units that are robust in ecological and socioeconomic terms while also practical in terms of institutional mandates and capabilities as well as implementation. • produce a strategic framework for the development and implementation of management plans that addresses the specificities of management units and ensures harmonisation with MSP and other policy objectives, economies of scale and efficiencies in implementation • SCOPE OF WORK The assignment will involve the following tasks and activities: • Hold an inception meeting with the MEECC and the MSP core team to discuss the work plan, agree on stakeholder scope and how to effectively deliver outputs; • Using the policy and legal review completed under the MSP process, develop the strategic management framework, ensuring that it is built around existing policy, legislation and institutional mandates and capabilities, and meets the needs of the allowable activities agreed for the different MSP zones; • Conduct stakeholder consultations and workshops to facilitate agreement on management units and define key elements of the strategic framework. At a minimum, stakeholders will be consulted from the fisheries (including aquaculture), tourism, conservation, infrastructure and maritime transport, and energy sectors; • Draft strategic management framework that outlines (a) the overarching management plan development and implementation strategy, (b) management plan units and their ecological/socioeconomic justification, (c) scope of management plan units in terms of sectors and objectives, (d) institutional and stakeholder roles and responsibilities and alignment with mandates and capabilities, and (e) rationale of the strategy in terms of economies of scale and efficiency; • Plan and facilitate a workshop for stakeholder validation of the strategic framework, • Submit a final version of the strategic management framework including policy brief, workshop materials and final PowerPoint presentation. • DELIVERABLES The key deliverables will be as follows: • Inception report including detailed work plan, • Stakeholder Consultation and Workshop reports, • Approved Technical report comprising the strategic management framework. • ASSIGNMENT DURATION AND TIMING OF ACTIVITIES/DELIVERABLES The assignment will be undertaken in May, June and July 2020, according to proposed schedule below. It is estimated that the assignment will require 20 consultancy days. If international, the consultant will be expected to be present in Seychelles for the duration of steps 4 and 6. | Step | Activities | Deadline or period of work | 1 | Signing of contract | May 5th 2020 | 2 | Inception meeting (teleconference or in person) | May 12th 2020 | 3 | Alignment of relevant existing Policy, legislation and institutional review with MSP allowable activities | End of May 2020 | 5 | Stakeholder Consultation workshop | Mid-June 2020 | 6 | Drafting strategic framework, preparing validation workshop materials | June 2020 | 7 | Stakeholder validation workshop | June 30th 2020 | 8 | Final technical report | July 8th 2020 • SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITY The consultant will report to the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, MEECC or a nominated staff. The consultant will provide regular progress updates and will respond in a timely manner to queries and draft documents. • QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED The MEECC are seeking an individual consultant with the following profile: • Master’s degree in conservation and ecology, natural resource science or economics, or related fields; • At least 5 years of practical experience in developing policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks for natural resources; • Proven experience of developing management strategies and plans for multiple-use marine protected areas is highly desired; • Full proficiency in English is a requirement, working knowledge of French would be an advantage; • Strong presentation and public speaking skills; • Proven ability to interact and engage constructively with diverse groups of stakeholder; • Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to communicate technical information with stakeholders; • Strong analytical and report writing skills, and • High computer literacy • Knowledge and understanding of the Seychelles MSP Initiative would be an asset • APPLICATION PROCESS The Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change is now inviting consultants to apply for this assignment. Applications shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The deadline for submission of applications is 14th April 2020 at 3:00 PM and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Development of a Strategic Management Framework for Sustainable-use Marine Protected Areas in Seychelles”. Interested applicants may obtain further details from Mr. Alain Decomarmond on [email protected] with [email protected] in copy). The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s Guideline for Selection and employment of consultant, Ed 2011 revised July 2014. Applications should be delivered by email to: Principal Secretary Environment Department Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change Seychelles Phone +248 467512 Email: [email protected]
Monitoring and evaluation and communication specialist - expert support
TERMS OF REFERENCE Individual Consultant MONITORING AND EVALUATION EXPERT FOR THE SWIOFish3 PROJECT 1. Background The Republic of Seychelles is currently implementing the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3), which became effective in April 2018. The SWIOFish3 project is being implemented through a blended finance approach, primarily financed by the World Bank (IBRD) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), combined with the investment in a Blue Bond issued by the Government of Seychelles (GoS) to private investors. The SWIOFish3 is a 6-year fisheries project (2018-2023) which aims to support the Government in strengthening its policy and governance framework for a transition to sustainable fisheries and expansion of the fisheries value chains in Seychelles. There are four components to the project, namely: • Component 1: Expanded sustainable-use marine protected areas; • Component 2: Improved governance of priority fisheries; • Component 3: Sustainable development of the blue economy and; • Component 4: Project management and coordination. The Blue Bond, which is worth US$ 15 million, was launched in October 2018. Its proceeds will fund activities which will contribute towards achieving the objectives of SWIOFish3 project, which are the implementation of the marine spatial planning and the Mahé Plateau fisheries management plan and the sustainable development of the country’s blue economy. Two funds, namely the Blue Grants Fund (BGF) and the Blue Investment Fund (BIF), have been created and will be capitalized with the proceeds of the bond. The BGF will receive US$ 3 million and it will be administered by the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT). It will fund eligible activities related to SWIOFish3 project component 1 and 2. As for the BIF, it will receive US$ 12 million and will extend commercial loans for investment aimed at the sustainably expanding the seafood value chains under component 3. The BIF will be administered by the Development Bank of Seychelles (DBS). With these significant investments, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of outcomes and results by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) were considered core components of the project design and constitute a basis for progress reporting to the National Steering Committee and World Bank implementation support missions. This will offer opportunities for learning, improvements and lessons learnt to be shared. Altogether, this will contribute towards better project accountability and transparency. The M&E activities will serve the needs of the project while simultaneously be part of improved knowledge and information systems for fisheries. In effect, the project aims to strengthen the M&E system for the fisheries sector, by playing an integral role in the development and capturing of information for sector performance indicators, including improved fisheries statistics on fisheries value chains and supporting the design of ecological, economic and social dashboards to support sector governance. A dedicated Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist (MES) has been recruited within the PIU and is responsible for organizing data collection and processing, keeping track of project indicators, preparing reports, and supporting project communication. In establishing the M&E system for the SWIOFish3 project and associated sub-projects funded by the BGF and the BIF, it has been recognized that additional support, guidance and expertise from an experienced M&E personnel would be beneficial to ensure that the project has a result-oriented, user-friendly and adaptive M&E system, with a focus on the integration of the M&E findings in the project implementation and an effective communication strategy to stimulate learning, improvement and stakeholder interest and acceptance of the project. The Department of Blue Economy (DBE) is now recruiting a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Expert to provide guidance and support to the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in finalizing the M&E system for the SWIOFish3 project and to develop an M&E framework for the sub-projects funded by the Blue Grants Fund (BGF) and the Blue Investment Fund (BIF) 2. Objective of the assignment The objective of the expert is to provide technical assistance and capacity building support to PIU and the project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS, with an emphasis on Monitoring and Evaluation for the effective and successful implementation of this aspect of the SWIOFish3 project. The specific objectives of the assignment are: • To provide technical assistance, guidance and direction related to M&E to the PIU and the project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS • To assist in the finalization of the SWIOFish3 project M&E manual and system and the development of a framework for the sub-projects funded through BGF and BIF • To mentor and build capacity of the MES, the PIU and other project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS, on all aspects related to M&E 3. Scope of work The consultant will undertake the following tasks: • Build capacity by conducting an intensive training about all the elements of M&E (project cycle, log frame design, development of indicators, data collection methods and tools, analysis and reporting, data quality assessment, data management, data presentation etc.) to the MES and other project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS as well as the component managers of MFAg and MEECC. • Review and provide technical expertise and guidance on any M&E related work, documents and processes (Project communication Plan, M&E manual, surveys etc.) and make recommendations of systems and tools required for establishing a Result-based M&E system, particularly for the continuous tracking and assessment of project progress, to promote learning, the dissemination of results and in preparation for project Mid-term review • Mentor, support and assist the MES and project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS, MFAg and MEECC in undertaking M&E core duties, particularly related to the development of project indicators, design of data collection methodology (surveys, interviews etc.), undertaking data quality assessments and to propose best suited system for data storage and management • Develop a simple M&E framework, encompassing generic indicators for monitoring the progress (implementation, financials, safeguards etc.) of the sub-projects funded by the BGF and the BIF. The framework should be linked to the strategic objectives of the funds that Blue Bond is supporting and underline where relevant with SDGs. • Conduct a capacity building workshop with existing and prospective project applicants under BGF and BIF on the principles of M&E and to advocate for participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) • Provide technical backstopping and be available upon request by the PIU for any support and guidance related to M&E • Maintain regular communication with the MES to track and understand the progress 4. Key deliverables The key deliverables for this assignment include: • A comprehensive capacity building workshop for the MES and other project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS as well as component managers of MFAg and MEECC • A concise PowerPoint presentation and set of documents about M&E and PM&E for SWIOFish3 and project partners • A capacity building workshop on M&E for existing and prospective project applicants • A simplified developed M&E framework, with generic indicator for the sub-projects funded through BGF and BIF • A 5-year M&E implementation plan for the SWIOFish3 project, including revised M&E manual and processes • A set of relevant M&E tools, references and literature as background information for establishing a Result Based M&E system for the SWIOFish3 project and project partners • A final summary report collating all deliverables, a summary of technical backstopping provided and recommendations to prepare SWIOFish3 for mid-term evaluation | Deliverable | Deadline | Comprehensive capacity building workshop for the MES and other project partners, SeyCCAT and DBS | End of month 1 | Concise M&E presentation and supporting M&E documents for SWIOFish3 and project partners | End of month 1 | Capacity building workshop for existing and prospective project applicants | End of month 2 | M&E framework for sub-projects funded by BGF and BIF | End of month 3 | 5-year SWIOFish3 M&E implementation plan, with revised M&E manual | End of month 4 | Set of M&E tools, references and literature | End of month 5 | Final summary report | End of month 12 5. Duration The M&E expert will be recruited by the Department of Blue Economy for a period of 60 working days, over 12 months, with 30 days in Seychelles and 30 days remotely. 6. Supervision responsibility The Monitoring and Evaluation expert will report directly to the Project Manager of the SWIOFish3 but will be required to work in close collaboration with Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the PIU and the project partners, namely SeyCCAT and DBS. The M&E expert will provide monthly progress summaries to the Project Manager and will respond on a timely manner to queries and draft documents. 7. Consultant qualification For this assignment, the Department of Blue Economy (DBE) is seeking an individual consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • A Master’s degree or higher in project management, monitoring and evaluation, international or development studies, or related discipline • At least 5 to 10 years professional experience in project management, or in the development of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) systems and performance-based management of government or donor-funded developmental projects • At least 3 demonstrated years of experience in planning and implementing M&E activities and providing technical leadership assistance • Demonstrated experience in leading participatory methodology and of sta
Fisheries sector employment survey & identify method for routine employment moni…
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Selection based on the Consultant’s Qualifications Employment Study and Capacity Needs Assessment for the Fisheries Sector in Seychelles 1.INTRODUCTION Seychelles is a small island state endowed with a rich biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial. Fisheries and tourism sectors are the two main pillars of the economy. The fisheries industry accounts for a significant portion of gross domestic product but is also of considerable social, cultural and nutritional importance to the country. The sector accounts for an estimated 90% of total annual export revenues for Seychelles with more than SCR 4 billion worth of fisheries product exported annually. To maintain growth in the fisheries sector, focus is being placed on improved opportunities in post-harvesting and service sectors, aimed at increasing employment and returns without placing limited resources under greater pressure. In terms of fisheries, the Ministry of Fisheries & Agriculture (MFAg) and the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) are the principal public bodies, overseeing policy, management, development, research and capacity building in the Seychelles. SFA is the executive arm of the government for fisheries and was created in August 1984 by the Seychelles Fishing Authority (Establishment) Act. The Fisheries Act of 2014 is the primary legislation governing the fisheries sector of the Seychelles. This mandate is further enshrined in national policies, notably the Fisheries Policy (2005) and, more recently, the Seychelles National Agriculture Investment Plan (2016-2020) and the Seychelles National Aquaculture Policy (2018). The fisheries sector has grown substantially since the 1980’s, driven primarily by the development of the Indian Ocean purse seine tuna fishery that uses Port Victoria as the regional hub for landings and transshipment. Important fisheries in Seychelles currently include: the industrial purse seine tuna fishery that lands to the canning factory, or transships, in Port Victoria for canned tuna markets in Europe; the artisanal line, trap and net fisheries supplying fresh finfish for mainly domestic markets; the semi-industrial longline fishery producing fresh tuna and swordfish for domestic and export markets; the sea cucumber fishery supplying processed product to Asian markets, and small invertebrate fisheries for mainly local markets. There are many opportunities in expanding the sector, especially in post-harvesting activities and services, whereby more diversified, value-adding companies can be created. Furthermore, with the planned development of the aquaculture sector, increasing prospects are being created for highly skilled labour markets. In 2005, a study identified that approximately 1,750 persons were directly involved in fishing activities on a full time basis, with another 3,930 being involved in processing, including 2,500 workers at the Indian Ocean Tuna (IOT) canning factory. A study performed by OECD in 2013 estimated that fisheries and related sectors employed between 5,000 and 6,000 people, representing around 11 percent of total formal employment, and thus providing a similar employment estimate to the 2005 study, in spite of significant growth in production since that time. A report by the Department of the Blue Economy in 2018 assessed the level of employment in industrial tuna fishing and related activities, rather than the entire sector, but still estimated that around 6,900 people were employed. Previous studies are known to have overestimated employment, especially given the sector is characterized by significant casual labour. For example, estimates of fishing vessel crew based on the number of vessels and average crew size overestimates employment because crew members move between vessels on a regular basis. It has also been observed that the sector is experiencing a growing influx of foreign workers, beyond the traditional reliance on foreign labour at IOT and in the purse seine tuna fishery. Notably, foreign crew onboard local vessels in the semi-industrial fishery have increased and foreign labour is increasingly used by other seafood processors. Therefore, a systematic process to collect data that differentiates between local and foreign workers in the fisheries sector is necessary for understanding change in the fisheries economy, given that expatriates labour causes pressure on wages and losses to the economy due to remittances. Monitoring will also enable labour issues and rights of expatriate workers to be examined. Due to these discrepancies or inaccuracies, and with a view to guiding further investment in the sector and identifying human resource capacity needs, the fisheries administration requires a comprehensive, up-to-date and more robust estimate of employment in the fisheries sector. There is also a need to establish standardised and cost-effective methods for routinely capturing employment information, as well as other important parameters such as wages, to enable more regular statistical reporting, including for the calculation of the national accounts and fisheries satellite account. The Seychelles Fishing Authority is now recruiting a firm to undertake this assignment. 2.OBJECTIVES The objectives of the consultancy are to: • Identify the level of employment and wages earned in the fisheries and fisheries related sector. • Determine the relative importance based on individual international standard industrial classification of all economic activities (ISIC) and including relative contribution to public finances, accounting for losses due to foreign labour employment, of the fisheries and fishery-related sectors compared to other sectors. • To determine the human capacity needs of the industry so as to better understand the obstacles that inhibit its agents from realising their development goals. • Devise a formal statistical approach for deriving employment-related information systematically, which could serve as basis to monitor changes over time and potential consequences of changes in national or international fisheries policy. 3.SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will be expected to undertake the following tasks: • Identify the main stakeholders, such as public sector agencies, private companies, NGOs, civil society associations, boat owners and other activities related to fisheries, including service providers to the fisheries sector. • Devise a statistically robust employment survey and data collection methods which must be validated by a steering committee established to oversee this assignment. The survey should be disaggregated (e.g. by age, sex, nationality and level of educational attainment) and focus on the main actors in fisheries sector value chains (i.e. processing, marketing, distribution, provisioning, port services etc.). • Develop a survey database and methods for data analysis compatible with existing databases held by the fisheries administration. • Recruit and train data collection personnel. • Perform a pilot test on the survey and data collection methods and adjust the methods as required. • Carry out the survey according to the survey plan and methods and within the planned timeframe and populate the survey database, carrying out data validation and verification. • Analyse the data to assess the level of employment and average earnings in the fisheries and fishery-related sectors for individual ISICs and compare among fisheries sub-sectors (e.g. industrial longline and purse seine, semi-industrial longline, artisanal fisheries, IOT, other value chain actors) as well as with other sectors. Where available, reconcile with other sources of information. • Determine the proportion of foreign and non-foreign workers for the different fisheries and fishery-related activities of the sector and provide short and mid-term projections of capacity issues through human capacity modelling. • Identify the main labour and gender issues for the different components of the sector, including those stemming from increases in foreign labour. • Identify challenges and solutions for domestic and foreign labour recruitment to the fisheries sector and related activities. • Examine any trend in employment by comparing the survey results with previous surveys undertaken. • Determine the human capacity needs of the different fisheries and fishery-related activities based on trends and anticipated developments. • Make recommendations and identify approaches for the systematic collection of employment data in the sector. • Provide policy and legislation recommendations relating to the results of the study including the capacity needs of the fisheries and fishery-related sectors. • Develop non-technical diagrams and infographics detailing the key results of the study for reporting to stakeholders and decision-makers. • Produce a draft report consisting of the detailed findings. • Through workshops and consultations, undertake stakeholder validation of survey results, analysis and recommendations. • Based on stakeholder validation, produce a final report. 4.DELIVERABLES The main deliverables of this assignment are: • An inception report outlining a detailed work plan for the consultancy, preliminary schedule of consultative meetings and workshops, agreed methods for the implementation of the study, and identification of key stakeholders/activities. • A technical report detailing the survey methods and database structure including a short technical manual for operation and updating of the survey database. • Monthly progress reports during data collection and analysis. • A final draft report for comments including but not limited to: • The number of people working and average wages separated by age, sex, nationality, education level, full-time/part-time, for each of fisheries and fishery-related sectors • Th
Evaluation of the contribution of the extended MPA network to the economy
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Evaluation of Ecosystem Goods and Services for Seychelles’ Existing and Proposed Protected Area System 1.INTRODUCTION Seychelles’ comparative advantage lies with its natural capital. The country is endowed with an extremely rich biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, and is one of Conservation International’s designated biodiversity hotspots. Endemism is exceptionally high at over 60% for animals in general and 50% for plants. Seychelles is one of the world's most environmentally conscious nations, having officially protected more than half of its total land area from development and with strong marine environmental protection measures in place. The two most important sectors of the Seychellois economy are tourism and fisheries, strongly tied to the country marine endowment and its biodiversity. Fisheries account for a significant portion of gross domestic product but are also of considerable social, cultural and nutritional importance to the country. However, the management of Seychelles marine ecosystems and fisheries is hampered by insufficient human capacity, legal and institutional frameworks, while issues such as climate change, overfishing and coastal development are adding increasing pressure on marine ecosystem goods and services. A major initiative now aims to address these challenges and safeguard the natural capital for future generations. The Seychelles Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) Initiative was initiated in 2014 and is a process that is focused on building resilience and sustainable use of marine ecosystems at the scale of the entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The overall goal for the MSP Initiative is to develop an integrated marine plan to optimise the sustainable use and effective management of Seychelles’ marine environment while improving the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of its people. The MSP Initiative is a Government-led process, with planning and facilitation by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In order to develop a comprehensive marine plan, the process enables input from a diverse array of stakeholders, encompassing commercial fishing, tourism and marine charters, biodiversity conservation, renewable and non-renewable energy, and maritime transport, safety and security authorities. The plan is identifying and proposing zones for marine protection that meet high and medium biodiversity objectives (15% of the EEZ each in each zone). In February 2018, the first phase of the process was completed with the creation of two new protected areas covering a total area of more than 200,000 km2. The MSP Initiative has now started implementation of the second phase, with the ultimate goal of 30% of Seychelles’ marine environment zoned for conservation or sustainable-use by 2020. Proposals for protected zones as part of the first phase of the MSP Initiative are currently under review by stakeholders. Informed decision making regarding the proposed zones requires an understanding of the trade-offs between the potential benefits to Seychelles economy and society, relative to the socio-economic impacts on fisheries and tourism resulting from restricted access to resources in those areas. An expanded protected area system is expected to provide significant long-term benefits to Seychelles through the maintenance or enhancement of a wide range of goods and services associated with the ecosystems targeted for protection. Consequently, information to examine these trade-offs is ideally derived from applicable methods for evaluating goods and services, applied to the specific ecosystems and zones identified by the MSP Initiative. The Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC) is now recruiting a consultancy firm or institution[1] to assess the benefits of Seychelles’ existing and proposed protected area system. 2. OBJECTIVES The main objective of this consultancy is to evaluate ecosystem goods and services generated by Seychelles’ protected area system (PAS), encompassing existing areas and zones proposed as part of phase 1 of the MSP Initiative. It is envisaged that the output will take a holistic approach to categorising and estimating goods and services (e.g. 2003 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment), encompassing production, regulation, cultural, supporting and option-use services. 3. SCOPE OF WORK The consultancy will consist of two main work streams. Firstly, a gap analysis will be undertaken to document and compile relevant data and research on the proposed zones, identifying clear gaps or constraints for the application of methods commonly applied in evaluating marine ecosystem goods and services. The output from the gap analysis will then be used to select applicable methods for evaluating ecosystems goods and services, which in the second stream will be applied to an analysis of the benefits to Seychelles from the existing and expanded PAS[2]. Specifically, it is expected that the consultancy will undertake the following tasks: • Hold an inception meeting with the MEECC to refine the work plan, format of outputs and share information. Produce an inception report that includes the agreed work plan, a scoping of stakeholders and data custodians to inform the gap analysis, and agreed approach for communicating outputs to different stakeholder groups; • Review relevant studies on ecosystem goods and services, detailing the data and methods that have been applied to similar scales and ecosystems covered by Seychelles’ PAS. Communicate on objectives and methods with other experts in the field as required; • Conduct stakeholder interviews and a workshop (workshop 1) to review the key questions to be addressed by the analysis, the ecosystem goods and services to be assessed, and data availability and sharing; • Compile information on relevant data available for evaluation of ecosystem goods and services using applicable methods, clearly identifying data attributes (quality, resolution, extent, format, availability and source) and the main gaps and constraints. Use this information to construct a metadata file summarising information by type (e.g. biophysical, socioeconomic); • Draft a gap analysis report and present to a workshop (workshop 2) to select the best methods and process to be applied in evaluating ecosystem goods and services within the assignment time frame, considering factors such as the need to collect additional data[3]. The workshop outputs will include a work plan for conducting the analysis; • Using the methods and process agreed at the workshop, conduct an analysis of ecosystem goods and services generated by Seychelles’ protected area system (PAS), including additional data collection where required; • Draft a technical report detailing methods, analysis, results and key findings, including a non-technical appendix to communicate the findings to stakeholders and the public; • Present the draft report at a stakeholder workshop (workshop 3) and to other experts for review, modify based on feedback and submit final version 4. DELIVERABLES The main deliverables of this assignment are: • An inception report (maximum 5 pages), including a work plan, stakeholder scoping and agreed formats for reporting outputs; • A gap analysis report (maximum 30 pages) and metadata file; • Workshop reports (x3) summarising agendas, feedback receive and attendees, and including PowerPoint presentations as appendices; • A final technical report detailing all aspects of the study (maximum 50 pages), including the non-technical appendices (maximum 10 pages). 5.ASSIGNMENT DURATION AND TIMING OF ACTIVITIES/DELIVERABLES The assignment will be undertaken between October 2018 and February 2019, according to proposed schedule below. If international, the firm or institution will be expected to be present in Seychelles for the duration of steps 1-4 and 6. | Step | Process | Consultations/meetings | Duration (deadline or period of work) | 1 | Signing of contract | | (15th Oct 2018) | 2 | Submission of inception report | Meeting with MEECC | 3 days (22nd Oct 2018) | 3 | Review of methods; information gathering for gap analysis; metadata file | Stakeholder workshop (#1); consultations | 10 days (late Oct 2018) | 4 | Submit and present gap analysis report; select methods for good and services evaluation | Stakeholder workshop (#2) | 2 days (15th Nov 2018) | 5 | Data acquisition and conduct analysis of PA system goods and services | Further (remote) consultations for data acquisition as required | 20 days (Nov and Dec 2018) | 6 | Submit and present draft of final technical report for review | Stakeholder workshop (#3) | (15th Jan 2019) | 7 | Update technical report based on reviews | | 5 days (late Jan 2019) | 8 | Submit final technical report | | (15th Feb 2019) | Total days | 40 6.SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITY The firm/institution will report to the MEECC. Close collaboration with the MSP bodies (Executive Committee, Steering Committee) will also be required. The firm/institution should seek to collaborate with other ongoing protected area projects in Seychelles. The firm/institution will provide regular progress reports and will respond in a timely manner to queries and draft documents. 7.QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED • Team with advanced university degrees in natural resource economics, social science, marine science, conservation or related fields • Team with proven experience in conducting studies of marine ecosystem goods and services, demonstrated by published technical reports and/or publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals • Experience of working in small island, tropical country contexts would be advantageous • Proven ability to interact and engage constructively with diverse groups of stakeholders • Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to communicate technical information with stakeholders • Strong analy
Preparation of Seychelles' Fisheries Sector Policy, Strategy and Development Pla…
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FIRM Preparation of Seychelles’ Fisheries Sector Policy, Strategy and Development Plan 1. Background The Fisheries Policy of the Government of Seychelles was last drafted and approved in 2005. At that time, both the industrial and artisanal fisheries in Seychelles were still in the development stage and the policy reflected the needs to promote both the development and conservation of our marine resources as well as maximizing benefits. After recovering from the piracy at the turn of the decade, the industrial tuna fishery has now stabilised in terms of catches and fleet size, with the quotas recently introduced to rebuild stocks of the most valuable species. Seychelles semi-industrial tuna fishing fleet has grown rapidly in recent years but now faces constraints in services, inputs and market access, while needing to compete with the industrial fleets for depleted stocks of some species. The artisanal fishery, which is critical for food security, remains largely open access and is heavily overcapitalised. Catch rates are declining and key demersal species are at risk of overfishing. Aquaculture development is also high on the Government’s agenda and a development master plan is being prepared for this subsector, with its related policy recently approved. There have been improvements in value-added processing and services, but challenges remain in terms of cold chain management, local capacity and access to markets. The fisheries sector must also be placed within the context of Seychelles’ commitment to conservation targets and sustainable (Blue Economy) development agenda, which provide the impetus for public and private sector-led reforms and investments in sustainable fishing, and a greater emphasis on governance and rights-based approaches. This context highlights the need for a revised fisheries policy that reflects the current status, challenges and opportunities of the sector. The 2007-2011 Fisheries Development Plan was developed to spearhead the development of the fisheries sector. By the end of implementation period and the years that followed, no review of the said development plan has been undertaken to assess the success, shortcomings and lessons learnt. The legislation governing the fisheries sector was recently modernised (Fisheries Act, 2014), while a number of other key policy instruments are currently being developed or are being implemented. These include the Mariculture Master Plan and the Seychelles National Agriculture Investment Plan (2016-2020). Fisheries co-management plan for Mahe Plateau has recently been approved for artisanal fisheries that is important for employment, food and nutrition security and sustainability of the fishery. In the context of complex and evolving governance challenges, the need for improved gathering and analysis as a decision-support tools for fisheries policy formulation, sector development and management has been recognised. In the light of these developments, a decision has been taken by the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture to review and update the Fisheries Policy, as well as, develop our Fisheries Development Plan by improving their relevance with the current status and changing nature of all aspects of fisheries in Seychelles. The Fisheries (Sector) Policy will need to incorporate fisheries-related policies have been adopted since 2005, such as the National Food & Nutrition Security Policy of 2013 and the Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan (SNAIP). This assignment will therefore contribute to the overall purpose of achieving the Ministry’s vision, which is to promote and strengthen a resilient and sustainable fisheries and agriculture sector that enhances food and nutrition security, contributes to economic growth and respects the natural environment. 2. Objectives of the Consultancy The Fisheries Policy will provide the basis for the necessary legal and administrative framework and guidelines to best inform decision making for the sector, while respecting and strengthening existing commitments, rules, and regulations regarding sustainability, food security and safety, as well as trade of fish and fish products. Further to this, the Fisheries Development plan shall spearhead the development of the fisheries sector. The specific objectives of the consultancy are to: • Review progress in the sector against the 2005 Fisheries Policy and draft a new policy comprising goals and objectives that reflect development, challenges and needs across fisheries, aquaculture and other sectors over the next 10 years; • Through a highly consultative process, develop comprehensive policy strategy and sector development plan to achieve the revised policy goals and objective 3. Scope of Work The consultancy firm will operate under the overall supervision and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and the Seychelles Fishing Authority. The policy, strategy and development plan will be prepared through a highly participatory process driven by both public and private sector representatives of all fisheries-related activities as well as wider civil society representatives. To this end, a Steering Committee comprised equally of public and private sector representatives will be convened to guide the process. The main tasks of the consultancy will include, but are not limited to: • Review and critically analyze progress in the fisheries sector against the 2005 Fisheries Policy, Strategy, and its associated Fisheries Development Plan 2007-2011, and taking into account the country’s other fisheries-related activities, management plans and programs; • Engage with stakeholders (public and private sector, CSOs, NGOs, etc) on priorities for the fisheries and related sectors, and identify gaps or areas of the existing policy framework that require improvement and strengthening; • Develop options for policy goals and objectives. Conduct meetings and workshops, hosted by the Ministry, to select and prioritise goals and objectives, and to ensure their coherence with other policy frameworks. Draft the Policy document (and Cabinet Memorandum); • On the basis of the Cabinet-approved policy, develop a strategy for policy implementation and a fisheries sector development plan[1]. Select an appropriate result-based approach for the design and implementation of the strategy and development plan; • Convene and manage technical working groups to elaborate different components of the strategy and development plan; • Organise and host a workshop to validate the strategy and fisheries development plan, draft the strategy and plan documents, including memorandum for ministerial and cabinet approval. 4. Deliverables The consultant is required to furnish the following deliverables for the Fisheries Policy, Strategy the Fisheries Development Plan: • An Inception Report which should be discussed with and approved by the Consultancy Steering Committee; • An interim report focusing on progress of work done; • The first draft of the reviewed fisheries policy, strategy, and development plan; • Conduct an validation workshop, and deliver a fisheries policy and strategy validation meeting report; • Conduct workshop to present: • Outcome of the 2007-2011 development plan; • Lessons learnt; • Draft 2019-2024 development plan. • The final draft of the policy and strategy by taking into account the deliberations of the validation workshop and comments from the Ministry & SFA; • Final draft of the2019-2024 Fisheries Development Plan and submission to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture; • A consultancy completion report and finalized documents. | Deliverable | Deadline | Submission of Inception Report | End of September, 2018 | Interim Report focusing on progress | Mid-October, 2018 | First Draft of Fisheries Policy, Strategy, and Development Plan | End of October, 2018 | Validation workshop for the Fisheries Policy and Strategy | Beginning of November | Presentation Workshop for the Development Plan | Beginning of November | Final stakeholder validated draft of the Fisheries Policy and Strategy | Mid-November | Final 2019-2024 Fisheries Development Plan | End of November | Submission of Completion Report | Beginning of December, 2018 5. Consultancy Supervision and Administration A consultancy steering committee shall be established by the Ministry of Fisheries & Agriculture to facilitate the process and help the consultant deliver according to the TOR. The consultant will report directly to the Principle Secretary for Fisheries of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and will take up matters that may potentially cause delays with the Steering Committee 6. Duration and Timing of the Consultancy The contract shall be for a maximum period of 4 months after which the draft of the reviewed policy should have been validated and submitted to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. 7. Firm’s Qualifications and Competencies The Firm is expected to: • Demonstrate experience or knowledge of the local fisheries sector and programs concerning fisheries management is highly advantageous. • Demonstrate experience in preparation of documents, project proposals, evaluation reports and, preferably, publications on the fisheries sector. • Identify at least one key staff member with at least five years of experience in policy development and program implementation at a national level. • Identify at least one key staff member with a Master’s Degree in a relevant field such as fisheries management/science, environmental sciences, marine science/oceanography,
Education and awareness program on fisheries management plan implementation
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Education and Awareness Planning for Fisheries Governance Reforms in Seychelles 1. Introduction The development agenda of Seychelles is now firmly viewed through the lens of a blue economy, focused on the growth of ocean-based economies that are environmentally and socially sustainable. Tourism and fisheries, the two main pillars of the economy, are central to strategies for meeting the goal of a blue economy. In terms of fisheries, the Ministry of Fisheries & Agriculture (MFA) and Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) are the principal public institutions tasked with overseeing development and governance of the sector. To promote best practices in governance, the fisheries sector legislation was recently modernised (Fisheries Act, 2014) and makes provision for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management and the adoption of rights-based approaches. The artisanal fisheries of Seychelles, which contribute substantially to food security and employment, remain predominantly characterised by open access regimes and are subject to overcapitalisation and overfishing, while also being subsidised. A management plan for the line and trap fisheries of the Mahé Plateau, which are responsible for the majority of artisanal fishery landings, anticipates an end to open access through limiting the number of participants. Subsequent reviews of the plan have recommended the need for stronger controls on catch or fishing effort to allow stocks to rebuild and improve profitability, paving the way for adoption of rights-based approaches. Strengthening of the management plan requires parallel reforms to address the issues of subsidies and overcapitalisation, and an enabling environment for investment in the value chains to offset the short-term socioeconomic impacts during stock rebuilding. A long-term vision and capacity building for stakeholders are critical to effective implementation of fisheries governance reforms. These are particularly relevant in contexts where fishers have historically experienced open access and unregulated fishing. Building dialogue and trust between government and fishers are a core reason for the co-management structures promoted by the Fisheries Act for fisheries management, but these institutions also require capacity building to strengthen decision-making. Exchanges and dialogue with fisheries stakeholders that have experienced the costs and benefits of pervasive governance reforms can be beneficial to capacity building and improved engagement and leadership in reform processes. The Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) is a 6-year project due to start in 2018. The project provides a financial and technical support mechanism for Seychelles to undertake fisheries reforms and the necessary education and awareness activities that will be essential for engagement of stakeholders in the reform process. In planning for governance reforms under SWIOFish3, Seychelles has benefitted from technical cooperation with the Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit and the Government of New Zealand. SWIOFish3 has now identified the benefits of cooperation with experienced industry representatives to facilitate visioning for governance reforms with stakeholders and identify education and awareness opportunities that are sensitive to the needs of fishers. Based on this expertise and cooperation, a plan for SWIOFish3 to implement education and awareness in support of the reform process will be produced. 2. Objective The objective of this assignment is to support the implementation of the SWIOFish3 objectives by facilitating the development of a medium-term vision and education and awareness plan for fisheries governance reforms. 3. Scope of Work • Review the current challenges and opportunities for fisheries governance reform in Seychelles in relation to ongoing interventions through policy and project support • Engage with key stakeholders (i.e. government, fishers and value chain operators), through meetings and workshops, on the implications of fisheries governance reform, providing a first-hand perspective on industry’s experiences with reforms in other countries • Building on current management plans and the bioeconomic basis for reforms[1], collaborate with stakeholders to build consensus and consolidate a 2023 vision for governance reforms, which will form the basis for SWIOFish3 strategic planning and activities • Draft a 6-year education and awareness strategy based on the vision for governance reforms and the phased strengthening of fisheries management plans, drawing on experience from effective programs conducted in other fishery contexts (e.g. Fishing into the Future and other initiatives) • Identify support networks, peer-to-peer exchange partners and other education/awareness support for fishers and fishery value chain operators in Seychelles • Recommend policy and financing options to strengthen the engagement of fishers and their associations in governance processe 4. Deliverables The Expert will be expected to submit or support the following deliverables: • A concise technical report (approx. 15 pages excluding annexes) outlining: the governance context, vision for phased introduction of reforms, education and awareness needs assessment and recommendations for strengthening fisher engagement in reform processes • A 6-year education and awareness strategy (approx. 10 pages) for SWIOFish3 to support governance reforms and the phased strengthening of fisheries management plan 5. Duration and Timing The assignment will be for 21 working days with 14 days in Seychelles. The mission to Seychelles is provisionally scheduled for March 2018. 6. Supervision Responsibility The Expert will be supervised by the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture with support from the SWIOFish3 Project Implementation Unit and the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA). 7. Consultant qualifications For this assignment, the Ministry of Fisheries & Agriculture is seeking a consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • Master’s degree or equivalent in a discipline related to fisheries policy and planning, natural resource economics and management, or related field; • At least 10 years proven experience in representing fishers and industry at national or regional-levels of fisheries management and governance, with experience in guiding fishers through governance reform processes advantageous; • Demonstrable experience in education and awareness for fishers and value chain operators, and promoting their engagement in fisheries science and management; • Broad knowledge and understanding of the key development and sustainability issues in the fisheries sector, including specifics of small-scale or artisanal fisheries; • Experience in policy development and strategic planning in the field of fisheries and/or natural resource management; • Strong communication and facilitation skills and ability to engage at technical and non-technical levels for a broad spectrum of fishery stakeholders; • Strong analytical, and report writing skills; • High computer literacy; • Full proficiency in English is a requirement. 8. Application Process The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture is now inviting individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Expressions of Interest (EOI) shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The deadline for submission of EOI is 9th February 2018 and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Education and Awareness Planning for Fisheries Governance Reforms in Seychelles”. Interested applicants may obtain further details from Dr Jan Robinson ([email protected]). The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s procedures. Completed EOIs should be delivered by email or post to: Mrs. Marie-Anne Denousse Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture 2nd Floor, Maison Collet P.O. Box 408 Victoria, Seychelles Phone +248 4672300/317 Email: [email protected] CC: [email protected] [1] Vivideconomics (2015). Fisheries recovery on the Mahé Plateau, Seychelles. Report prepared for The Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit and the Seychelles Fishing Authority.
Draft policy on the management of bycatch landings by industrial fishing vessels…
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Draft Policy on the Management of Bycatch Landed by Industrial Fishing Vessels in Seychelles 1. Introduction The incidental capture of non-targeted species and undersized individuals of target species, termed as bycatch, has always been part of the industrial purse seine tuna fishery. According to a 2011 study[1], it was determined that bycatch in the Western Indian Ocean tuna purse seine fishery varies according to fishing modes, with a higher percentage from sets made on schools associated with fish aggregating devices (FADs) (5.3%) compared to sets made on free swimming schools (1.1%). Combining the two fishing modes, the estimated bycatch level is 3.55%, over half of which is tunas (mainly neritic tunas). Bycatch is a feature of virtually all fisheries and can sometimes be mitigated if not totally avoided. It is to be noted that not all bycatch is landed, with some discarded at sea. Discards are often perceived as a waste of fish resources. In 2016, the annual catch made by the tuna purse seine fleet in the Indian Ocean was 289,704 metric tonnes, which represents a potential bycatch of more than 10,000 metric tonnes that could have been landed in Seychelles. This level of bycatch represents a volume two times greater than the annual landings from Seychelles’ artisanal fishery. Over the past 30 years that industrial tuna purse seine vessels have been operating in the Seychelles, only a small proportion of bycatch from this fishery has been landed in Port Victoria, mainly to be used as bait for the artisanal fishery or for use in animal feed. With EU legislation and Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Resolution 17/04 aimed at reducing discards, it is likely that the proportion of bycatch landed in Port Victoria will increase. The Government of Seychelles has sought to promote the participation of local investors in the industrial tuna fishery, particularly in processing activities. Consequently, an increasing number of local companies have become involved in the handling, processing, marketing and export of bycatch. The current situation is that the demand for, and value of, bycatch in Seychelles is increasing, with consumption on the local market also growing - many food catering activities depend on bycatch as their main supply of fish. However, no proper control measures are in place to ensure food safety and traceability, which is of particular concern in cases where bycatch is used for human consumption. With the demand for bycatch growing, the process of managing access to landings has also increased in importance, including issues such as maintaining a supply of lower value bycatch for bait, ensuring adequate monitoring and reporting, logistics of handling and storage, and controlling port access for buyers. The Seychelles National Agricultural Investment Plan (SNAIP) makes provision for the development of policy related to bycatch: specifically the objective ‘Support policy development, laws and regulations’ and its output (‘by end 2017, a bycatch policy has been developed’) and outcome (‘more local fishers and consumers benefit from the management and access to bycatch’). The bycatch policy will provide the basis for the necessary legal and administrative framework and guidelines in order to better regulate, organize and administer all activities emanating from the landing of bycatch by tuna purse seiners and its commercialization, while respecting and strengthening existing rules and regulations regarding food safety and trade of fish and fish products. This assignment will therefore contribute to the Ministry’s vision to promote and strengthen a resilient and sustainable fisheries and agriculture sector that enhances food and nutrition security, contributes to economic growth and respects the natural environment. 2. Objectives of the Assignment The consultancy will draft a bycatch policy for the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, which will support a coordinated response to the management of bycatch landings and use in Seychelles, as well as supporting the framework for the reduction of discards in conformity with international obligations (i.e. IOTC). The policy focus will be centered on the management of bycatch landings from industrial purse seine tuna vessels in Port Victoria and on allocation and use mechanisms for bycatch. In considering allocation and use mechanisms, the policy will incorporate the goal and socioeconomic objectives of the SNAIP, which address food security, value chain development and diversification, and sustainable increase of revenue from the sector. The specific objectives of the assignment are to: • Identify the challenges and opportunities with regards to accessing, managing and utilising bycatch landings to Seychelles • In collaboration with stakeholders, develop policy and strategic recommendations for managing bycatch landings and their utilisation[2] • Draft and validate the policy 3. Scope of Work The consultant will be required to undertake the assignment using a combination of desk-top research, stakeholder consultations and workshops, including key government stakeholders and representatives from the fishing industry and civil society. Specifically, the main tasks of this assignment are to: • Review and analyse the present circumstances of national and regional bycatch policies, regulations, data collection and research programs; • Summarize estimates of bycatch for the tuna purse seine fishery and the amounts landed or transshipped in Seychelles as background for decision making and the policy document; • Incorporate the findings of a parallel consultancy on value chain mappingfor bycatch in Seychelles (see footnote #2); • Analyse the legal status of bycatch in terms of import and export, focusing on traceability, rules of origin and other trade issues; • Identify phyto-sanitary standards that should be applied for local consumption, processing, marketing and export of bycatch, as well as any standards for non-food uses (e.g. fertilizers); • Explore options for accessing and handling of bycatch landings in terms of logistics, sanitary conditions, and sales platforms (including auctions); • Assess any labour and gender issues that require policy support in the context of assessing and utilising bycatch; • Develop reporting requirements for sales (or purchases), processing and export of bycatch, including the provision of information that can be used to derive performance indicators or measures; • Present options for limits to the number of companies that can acquire and process bycatch for local or export markets, including allocation criteria, and propose conditions that should be attached to the permit or authorisations for companies accessing bycatch; • Consult with key stakeholders to agree an outline and components of the bycatch policy; • Draft the policy document, ensuring is in compliance with the requirements of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Policy Development Framework; • Conduct a policy validation workshop and prepare and present report of the workshop to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture; • Develop a sensitisation program on bycatch management and the new policy. 4. Deliverables The consultant is required to furnish the following deliverables: • An inception report with agreed timeline of consultations, workshops, and stakeholder analysis; • First draft of the bycatch policy and supporting background documents; • Final draft policy taking into account the deliberations of the validation workshop, and workshop report; • Final policy document taking into account the final comments from the Ministry; • A consultancy completion report and information note or memorandum for adoption of the policy. 5. Duration and Timing of the Assignment The contract shall be for 30 days over a period of three (3) months and proceed according to the following timing or deadlines for activities or deliverables. | Activity / deliverable | Timing / Deadline | Signing of the contract | Early November 2017 | Inception report | 15th November 2017 | First draft of the policy | 10th December 2017 | Validation workshop | Mid-December 2017 | Final draft of the policy | 5th January 2018 | Final policy document, completion report and memorandum | 26th January 2018 6. Supervision Responsibility The policy will be drafted under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, and in close cooperation with the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA). A consultancy steering committee shall be established with the Ministry and SFA to facilitate the process and help the consultant deliver in a timely manner. The responsibility of the steering committee will be to share relevant documents, organize meetings and review all submitted documents. 7. Consultant Qualifications For this assignment, the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture is seeking a consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • A Master’s Degree or equivalent in fisheries science or management, food technology, natural resource economics, development studies or other relevant field; • At least 4-years work experience in management and policy development relating to fisheries post-harvesting and service sectors; • Experience or knowledge of the local fisheries sector or specific experience on tuna fisheries and bycatch utilisation would be advantageous; • Strong analytical, and report writing skills; • Strong communication and facilitation skills; • High computer literacy; • Proven ability to work independently, • Full proficiency in English is a requirement; knowledge of French or Spa
Preparatory activities for Seychelles to conduct first report for the Fisheries …
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Preparatory Activities for Seychelles to Conduct First Report for the Fisheries Transparency Initiative 1. INTRODUCTION The development agenda of Seychelles is now firmly viewed through the lens of a blue economy, focused on the growth of ocean-based economies that are environmentally and socially sustainable. Tourism and fisheries, the two main pillars of the economy, are highly dependent on the country’s rich marine biodiversity and are central to strategies for meeting the goal of a blue economy. Fisheries account for a significant portion of gross domestic product but are also of considerable social and cultural importance to the country. The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and Seychelles Fishing Authority are the principal public institutions for the sector, overseeing policy, management, development, research and capacity building, while fisheries legislation was recently modernised (Fisheries Act, 2014). However, it is recognised that transparency and participation in developing fisheries policy and management need to be strengthened in order for Seychelles to meet emerging best practices in governance. The public availability of credible information is essential to achieving sustainable and responsibly managed marine fisheries. Consequently, the need for transparency and participation is central to major fisheries reform efforts, including: the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (FAO; 2015); the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (FAO; 2012), and the Guidelines for the Development of National Legislation on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (UNEP; 2010). In spite of a greater focus on transparency and participation in the fisheries sector, basic information often still remains out of the public domain. Such information includes the amount of fish taken from the ocean, the status of fish stocks and marine ecosystems, conditions attached to fishing authorisations and the contracts of fishing access agreements signed between fishing nations and coastal states. Without such information, the quality and credibility of decision-making can be undermined, while the prospect of effective oversight and accountability diminishes. The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) is a global multi-stakeholder initiative. Its purpose is to increase transparency and participation in fisheries governance to promote improvements in the sustainable management of marine fisheries [1]. • Transparency: At the heart of the initiative is the FiTI Standard, an agreement on what fisheries information should be published by public authorities. It comprises 12 transparency requirements and is applicable to all countries. The FiTI Standard provides governments, the fishing industry (both large-scale and small-scale), and civil society with a comprehensive and credible way to achieve and maintain high levels of transparency on the management of the marine fisheries sector and the activities of fishers and fishing companies. • Participation: The FiTI is based on the principle of multi-stakeholder participation. The FiTI is implemented in countries through National Multi-Stakeholder Groups, consisting of representatives from government, business and organised civil society. These groups work collectively to assess whether information in the public domain is perceived as accessible and complete and make recommendations on how to improve information published by national authorities. The FiTI is voluntary, global initiative. However, once a country has decided to participate, mandatory requirements must be followed. Seychelles are strongly committed to implement the FiTI and were among the initiative’s first five pilot countries that publicly committed to initiate the process to become an official FiTI Candidate Country[2]. Countries intending to implement the FiTI must complete six requirements (sign-up steps). Based on these requirements, engaging in the FiTI implementation process requires a sound understanding of the country’s stakeholders, its legal framework, data availability and quality. As part of World Bank assistance to the Seychelles, a report has been prepared to assist the Seychelles with the FiTI implementation process and as a preliminary exercise in applying the FiTI Standard in Seychelles. This report provides the Seychelles stakeholders with a basis for discussion on FITI institutional arrangements and the FiTI transparency requirements. Based on this report, the first official FiTI Report (for calendar year 2016) should now be prepared and provided to the Seychelles FiTI National Multi-Stakeholder Group for review and approval once the Group established. The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (MFA) is now recruiting a consultant to prepare this first official FiTI Report for the Seychelles. 2. OBJECTIVES The objective of this assignment is to prepare the first official FiTI Report for the Seychelles. 3. SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will be required to conduct the study based on desk-top research as well as through interviews with key government and non-governmental stakeholders, including representatives from the fishing industry and civil society. Specifically, the main tasks of this assignment are to: • Identify engagement opportunities for the FiTI to contribute to policy dialogues and broader conversations about national reform efforts in the Seychelles (in particular to the Blue Economy); • Assess the availability and accessibility of information provided by public authorities in the public domain according to the 12 transparency requirements set forth in Section B1 of the FiTI Standard[3]. This should also include documenting objections that may exist to making such information public (e.g. legal obstacles) as well as options of data gathering and verification through a multi-stakeholder processes – for this, the consultant must consult with relevant national and international organisations and experts to ensure that the assessment on the transparency requirements is perceived as credible and trustworthy, and that all appropriate sources of information are considered. This includes, but is not limited to, vessel owners, right-holders, small-scale fishing associations, civil society organisations, academia, media, and the FiTI International Secretariat; • Draft the first FiTI Report for the Seychelles, which must include the following information for each transparency requirement: • A reference on where detailed information can be found in the public domain, if applicable; • A succinct summary of the main findings; • An explanation of significant deviations from information published by national authorities, if applicable, including the names of individual vessels which do not comply with catch, landings and transshipment reporting provisions according to the country’s rules and procedures on access rights and fishing authorisations; • An explanation of significant deviations from previous reporting periods, if applicable; • Information on whether complementary information from other stakeholders is used by the national authorities, if applicable. (Where existing information is not published by public authorities in the public domain or is assessed as inaccessible or incomplete, the consultant must seek to collate this information and must present it in the FiTI Report. In case the consultant is unable to collate complete information, the reasons must be stated in the draft FiTI Report); 4. Submit the draft FiTI Report to the National MSG for review and adapt the preliminary FiTI Report based on their review comments, if applicable; 5. Based on the experiences for drafting the first FiTI Report in the Seychelles, develop a standardized (anonymized) Report Compilation Handbook for the FiTI International Secretariat to reuse in other countries implementing the FiTI; 4. KEY DELIVERABLES The main deliverables of this assignment are: • Draft FiTI Report for the Seychelles • Report Compilation Handbook (max. 50 pages) • Engagement opportunities between the FiTI and the Blue Economy in the Seychelles. 5. ASSIGNMENT DURATION AND TIMING OF ACTIVITIES/DELIVERABLES The assignment will be undertaken between October 2017 and February 2018, according to proposed schedule below. The consultant will be based in Seychelles. The consultant is allowed to sub-contract part of this assignment. | Step | Process | Duration (deadline) | 1 | Desk-top review of availability and accessibility of information provided by public authorities in the public domain according to the 12 transparency requirements | Oct 15th – Nov 30th | 2 | Draft FiTI Report | Dec 15th | 3 | Present draft FiTI Report to National Multi-Stakeholder Group and other relevant stakeholders | Jan 15th 2018 | 3 | Submit engagement opportunities paper (Deliverable 3) | Dec 1st 2017 | 5 | Submit final draft FiTI Report to National Multi-Stakeholder Group | Feb 1st 2018 | 5 | Submit Report Compilation Handbook | Feb 15th 2018 6. SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITY The consultant will report to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture. Close collaboration with the Department of Blue Economy and Seychelles Fishing Authority will also be required. The consultant will provide regular progress reports and will respond in a timely manner to queries and draft documents. 7. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED • Advanced university degree in environmental management, environmental economics, marine science, conservation, ecology,
Value chain and feasibility study to guide investment in fish processing & servi…
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FIRM Development of Seychelles’ Seafood Sector Value Chains 1. Background The development agenda of Seychelles is now firmly viewed through the lens of a blue economy, focused on the growth of ocean-based economies that are environmentally and socially sustainable. Reorientation of tourism and fisheries sector development, the two main pillars of the economy, is therefore a key strategy for meeting the goal of a blue economy. Since Seychelles is endowed with an extremely rich biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, reconciling development with conservation objectives is a critical challenge. In the fisheries sector, considerable focus is placed on improved opportunities in the post-harvesting and service sectors, aimed at increasing employment and returns from the enhancement of value chains and full utilisation of the catch. It is critical that these opportunities are aligned with governance reforms to ensure that expansion and diversification of value chains are supported by fishery rebuilding plans. The Ministry of Fisheries & Agriculture (MFA) and Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) are the principal institutions for the fisheries sector, overseeing policy, management, development, research and capacity building. The legislation governing the fisheries sector was recently modernised (Fisheries Act, 2014), while a number of other key policy instruments are currently being developed or are in the early stages of implementation. These include the Mariculture Master Plan and the Seychelles National Agriculture Investment Plan (2016-2020). Fisheries management planning is also developing with plans drafted for artisanal fisheries that are important for employment, food and nutrition security. Implementation of these instruments is aimed at providing a sustainable pathway to investment and growth in the seafood sector. The fisheries sector is relatively well developed in Seychelles. Important fisheries in Seychelles currently include: the industrial purse seine tuna fishery that lands to the canning factory, or tranships, in Port Victoria for canned tuna markets in Europe; the artisanal line, trap and net fisheries supplying fresh finfish for mainly domestic markets; the semi-industrial longline fishery producing fresh tuna and swordfish for domestic and export markets; the sea cucumber fishery supplying processed product to Asian markets, and small invertebrate fisheries for mainly local markets. In spite of the significant contribution of the fisheries sector to GDP, improvements to business planning, production efficiency, technology transfer, product differentiation and quality are needed to develop both domestic and export markets. Moreover, services to the sector are lacking and rely heavily on government support. The opportunities and challenges for diversification and expansion of the seafood value chains are recognised in the Seychelles National Agriculture Investment Plan (2016-2020). Examples of opportunities include increasing access to tuna fishery bycatch as a raw material for domestic value added processing, growth in production by local tuna fleets, and greater demand for processed seafood products by Seychellois consumers. However, numerous challenges to entering the seafood sector are faced by local investors, including limited access to affordable credit, lack of expertise in food technology and few opportunities for capacity building. In addition to fisheries management plans, the growth of the post-harvesting and services sectors must also be aligned with the environmental, socioeconomic and cultural capacity to absorb such development. It is therefore vital that a strategy for intervention and investment in seafood is informed by other national development agenda, not least of which are the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The MFA is now recruiting a consultancy firm to map and assess the current status of value chains and to identify constraints and develop a strategy for intervention and investment informed by capacity limits. 2. Objective of the assignment The key objectives of the consultancy are: • to identify opportunities for enhanced performance, expansion and diversification of Seychelles’ seafood [1]value chains, and • to assess the current and projected capacity needs for seafood processing, including provision of public and private services to the sector and an assessment of carrying capacity. 3. Scope of Work The consultancy firm will undertake the following tasks Process 1: Appraisal and selection of value chains for the seafood sector • Undertake a rapid appraisal and synthesis of current value chains for the major fishery sub-sectors (artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial) • Review the legal and regulatory environment for the seafood sector, including policies pertaining to employment, ownership, certification, quality control and competition • Assess current and projected availability of inputs to seafood value chains based on trends and forecasts in fishery production, access to raw materials based on policy interventions (e.g. access agreements), potential for imports and utilisation of by-products • Undertake a gender assessment for the post harvesting and service components of the value chains • Prioritise value chains that offer the best opportunities for improved performance and expansion based on an analysis of drivers, constraints and competition impacting on the value chains. Hold workshop to validate prioritisation with stakeholders. Process 2: Value chain mapping and analysis to define development opportunities and interventions • Describe the structure and flow of selected value chains, identifying clusters of value chain actors and links from inputs (fishery production) through processing to markets, and then quantify the value chains in terms of volumes, sales, employment, markets etc. • Validate mapping with stakeholders, identify key qualitative and quantitative indicators (e.g. time, cost, value added and productivity), and assess the performance and competitiveness of selected value chains in terms of socioeconomic and technological factors • Based on prior analyses and stakeholder consultations, identify key constraints to seafood value chains and prioritise opportunities for development • Develop a value chain development and upgrading strategy with prioritised recommendations on policy interventions to enhance competitive performance of the sector, and clearly defined investment opportunities (including an estimation of investment costs). The strategy will be informed by the outcome of Process 3 • In defining the strategy, additional emphasis should be placed on opportunities for investment in energy efficiency, promotion of renewable energy sources, waste reduction and treatment innovation, and value-added use of by-products derived from seafood processing. The strategy should also include provision for promoting gender balance • Review the strategy with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and then hold a validation workshop with stakeholders (the workshop will address the findings from all 3 processes) Process 3: Assess the current and projected capacity needs for seafood processing and services • Review existing and planned public and private sector capacity in support of the seafood sector, including infrastructure such as ports, transportation, industrial zones and utilities, processing capacity, services to the sector (financial and non-financial, harvesting and post-harvesting components) and regulatory control. The review should also consider the human capacity needed to support the sector. • Map out the current procedures and requirements for the value chains including the shipping logistics and quality control requirements, identifying mismatches and bottlenecks and make recommendations to streamlining these for efficiency gains • Consult with stakeholders and collate available data in order to assess carrying capacity for development of the seafood sector based on resource productivity, the environmental, socioeconomic and cultural impacts of development, capacity of regulatory bodies, public and private sector infrastructure (including energy and waste treatment demand) and conflicts with other key sectors (e.g. tourism) • Develop recommendations for development of support services (e.g. extension services, technology promotion, R&D platforms), public infrastructure (e.g. ports, utilities) and policies (e.g. ISO, HACCP, environmental standards) for the seafood sector that aligns with the value chain development and upgrading strategy and carrying capacity. Investment costs should be estimated for support services and public infrastructure. 4. Key deliverables • An inception report detailing methods and approaches for the assignment, an agreed timeline of surveys, workshops etc., and a stakeholder analysis • A technical report chapter focusing on appraisal and selection of value chains for the seafood sector (Process 1), including an executive summary • A technical report chapter focusing on value chain mapping and analysis to define a value chain development and upgrading strategy (Process 2) , including an executive summary • A technical report chapter focusing on current and projected capacity needs for seafood processing and services (Process 3), including an executive summary • A final consolidated technical report (Processes 1-3), including an executive summary and record of the findings and contributions from workshops 5. Duration The consultancy firm will be recruited for a period of 60 days maximum allocated over a period of 5 months. | Activity and deliverable | Timing / Deadline | Signing of the contract | Mid-October 2017 | Inception report | End October 20
Technical Assistance to Fishing Port Development Committee: project management s…
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Development of a Port Project Management System 1. Background The development agenda of Seychelles is now firmly viewed through the lens of a blue economy, focused on the growth of ocean-based economies that are environmentally and socially sustainable. Reorientation of tourism and fisheries development, the two main pillars of the economy, is a key strategy for meeting the goal of a blue economy. In the fisheries sector, considerable focus is placed on improved opportunities in the post-harvesting and service sectors, aimed at increasing employment and returns from the enhancement of value chains and full utilisation of the catch. Important challenges stem from the need to integrate development of these sectors and to ensure that they align with sustainable levels of fish production. Major port infrastructure has been developed in recent years, comprising private and public sector investments in infrastructure, services and processing facilities for the fishing industry. Ports for artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fisheries have undergone significant expansion and upgrading, including the installation of quays, the development of processing facilities for commercial lease, and the provision of gear store, bunkering and ice-making services. The modernisation of ports and fishing sector development requires oversight by a broad range of stakeholders and agencies. The Fisheries and Port Development Committee (FPDC) is an inter-ministerial institution that provides for oversight and decision-making in relation to fishing port development, notably for newly created port facilities at Ile du Port (Zone 14), Providence and Belombre. As well as key ministries involved in port development, the FPDC comprises important line agencies tasked with project appraisal and monitoring and evaluation of port development projects. To strengthen the operational modalities of the FPDC, the Department of Blue Economy of the Office of the Vice-President is recruiting a consultant to develop a robust system for land-use planning in relation to port development and to develop an effective project management system for investments in fisheries and port-related activities. Though land at Ile du Port, Providence and Belombre has largely been allocated to projects, the land-use planning system will serve future extensions or redevelopments at those ports, or new port facilities. Important outcomes expected of these systems is improved guidance for future investment, improved monitoring and evaluation of project implementation, and planned integration of fish processing and port service sectors. 2. Objective of the assignment The key objective of the consultancy is to support the Government of Seychelles, through the Fishing Port Development Committee (FPDC), in developing planning and project management systems for fishing port development. The consultancy will focus on key elements of the land-use planning and project management cycle, namely: • Clearly defined criteria and procedures for land-use planning that aim to integrate development of fish processing and service sectors; • Improved efficiency in decision-making processes for project appraisal and approval; • Robust monitoring and evaluation of project implementation to enable rapid identification of constraints and barriers to effective delivery and operations. 3. Scope of work The consultant will undertake the following tasks: • Make recommendations for improvement of governance arrangements for port development and management, based on a review of current processes and procedures for land-use planning and for the appraisal and monitoring of port development projects; • Meet with project developers and other stakeholders to identify key constraints and barriers to efficient land-use planning, project appraisal, and monitoring of project implementation and performance; • Propose a system for land-use planning that meets the following minimum set of requirements: • Reviews the key institutions and their roles and responsibilities in planning fishing port development, including a capacity-building and training needs assessment; • Identifies priorities for land-use based on projected land availability and sector needs; • Sets out guidance on objectives for integration of fish processing and service sectors, including critical public infrastructure and utility services such as sewerage; • Defines criteria and procedures for allocating land for integrated port development. • Propose a system for project appraisal that meets the following minimum set of requirements: • Identifies agency departments and institutions for project appraisal, detailing their roles and responsibilities and aiming to minimise the number of agencies involved; • Has clearly defined criteria for assessing projects and ensures that they align with land-use plans as well as sectorial development policies and management; • Ensures that procedures, processes and criteria for assessing projects are well defined; • Defines the maximum response times for each stage of the process and for the process as a whole, ensuring that the proposed system is efficient and timely. • Propose a system for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation that meets the following minimum set of requirements: • Monitors project implementation and performance from the point of approval until the project has been in full operation for 5-years; • Defines the agency(ies) for project monitoring and evaluation, detailing roles and responsibilities; • Identifies mechanisms and indicators for monitoring and evaluation, including performance-related criteria, and for reporting to the FPDC; • Introduces project oversight procedures to allow for rapid identification of barriers or constraints to implementation. • The project management system should also include tools (e.g. spreadsheets, databases) for monitoring the project appraisal and implementation and for reporting to the FPDC • Develop a plan and timeline for the introduction of the new systems • Provide a training materials and a workshop for key agencies and institutions, including the FPDC Secretariat • Develop a communication strategy to inform the public and private sector of the new systems 4. Key deliverables • An inception report detailing the work plan, methodologies, including a meeting schedule that links to planned meeting of the FPDC • A final technical report (50 pages maximum excluding annexes) detailing the current context of land-use planning, project appraisal and monitoring and evaluation, and proposals for new systems, as well as: • Spreadsheets or other software-driven tools for use in monitoring the project appraisal process and project implementation; • A plan and timeline for implementing the new systems and the provision of training materials; • A communication strategy to raise awareness of the new project appraisal and monitoring and evaluation system; • Conduct training workshop 5. Duration The consultant will be recruited by the Department of Blue Economy for a period of 30 days maximum allocated over a period of 4 months. | Activity and deliverable | Timing / Deadline | Signing of the contract | Mid-September 2017 | Phase 1 – Inception report | Late September 2017 | Phase 2 – Interviews with stakeholders and review of the current land-use planning and project management system | October 2017 | Phase 3 – Proposals for improved project management, workshop to validate proposals, and report drafting. | November 2017 | Phase 4 – Preparation of monitoring and evaluation tools. Training workshop and submission of draft technical report | Early December 2017 | Phase 5 – Delivery of implementation plan and communication strategy. Submission of final technical report | 15th December 2017 6. Supervision responsibility The consultant will report to the Department of the Blue Economy and the FPDC but will also be required to work in collaboration with other ministries and agencies that are members of the FPDC, as well as with other relevant institutions as required. The consultant will respond to a timely manner to queries and draft documents. 7. Consultant qualifications For this assignment, the Department of Blue Economy is seeking a consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • Master’s degree or equivalent in project management or business administration; • At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in the fields of fisheries, port development, project management, business administration and/or development. • Sound understanding and evidenced application of project management tools according to international standards; • Background in public-private partnerships and/or land use planning would be advantageous; • Strong analytical, and report writing skills; • Strong communication and facilitation skills; • High computer literacy; • Full proficiency in English is a requirement; knowledge of French and Creole would be an added value. 8. Application Process The Department of Blue Economy is now inviting consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Expressions of Interest (EOI) shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The deadline for submission of EOI is 8th September 2017 and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Development of a Port Project Management System”. Interested applicants may obtain further details from the contact below. The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s procedures. EOIs should be delivered by email to: Ms. Re
Data administrator to assist with adoption of SIH including economic data
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Technical Assistance to Seychelles Fishing Authority for Fisheries Statistics 1. INTRODUCTION Seychelles’ comparative advantage lies with its natural capital. The country is endowed with an extremely rich biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, and is one of Conservation International’s designated biodiversity hotspots. The two most important sectors of the Seychellois economy are tourism and fisheries, both strongly tied to the country marine endowment and its biodiversity. Fisheries account for a significant portion of gross domestic product but are also of considerable social, cultural and nutritional importance to the country. However, the management of fisheries is hampered by insufficient human capacity, legal and institutional frameworks, while issues such as climate change, overfishing and coastal development are adding increasing pressure on marine ecosystem goods and services. In the fisheries sector, focus is therefore being placed on improved governance of priority fisheries, including the adoption of management plans that are informed by robust management advice. The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) is the principal public institution for fisheries in Seychelles, overseeing management, development, research and capacity building. Sustainable fisheries management requires sound fisheries data and statistics. High quality data enables timely advice on the dynamics and status of fisheries, reliable economic analysis and the provision of information for policy makers to guide development of the fisheries sector. Robust data and statistics also support assessment of the effectiveness of fisheries management and regulations. As the custodian of numerous fisheries-related data, SFA is highly dependent on capacity for data management and database maintenance for producing statistics required by the sector. SFA has made considerable progress in recent years to update and develop statistical databases for data collection, capture, verification, validation and processing. For example, SFA are collaborating with the Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER, France) to modernise the statistical catch assessment survey, adapted from their Système d'Informations Halieutiques (SIH) system. Nonetheless, SFA continues to rely heavily on partners for technical support to its statistical systems, which can result in delays, and staff levels are insufficient to maintain the production of statistics while at the same time upgrading and developing databases. SFA is now recruiting a consultant to serve as a Technical Assistant with a specific focus on fisheries statistical system administration. 2. OBJECTIVES The objective of the Technical Assistance is to provide expertise in information technology, database and software management, and capacity-building support to SFA, with a focus on development, upgrading and maintenance of the fisheries statistical systems. 3. SCOPE OF WORK Across three main work areas, the consultant will undertake the following tasks. • Assist SFA in developing a data repository for all statistical datasets on a new server, which will include: • Assessment of technical requirements, identification of data sources and formats, selection of the appropriate datasets, and design of the logical and physical structure of the data repository; • Creation of the physical database and the logical storage structures associated with the data repository to provide fast and efficient access to the data; • Defining storage management, fast data access, data protection, multiuser support, and security; • Population of the various datasets in the data repository; • Creation and storage of metadata and writing database documentation, including data standards, procedures and definitions for the data dictionary; and • Managing the data repository, including controls of access permission and privileges. • Set up management and maintenance procedures for statistical databases and related software at SFA, which will include: • SIH. Liaise with Environment Information Systems (EIS) to perform relevant technical updates of the SIH software and database; • T3+, Observe, AVDTH, AKADO, ANAPO. Liaise with the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) to perform the configuration set up for upgrading these software to the new versions; • Set up procedures for the back-up of current databases at SFA (i.e. FINSS, AVDTH, Observe, SIH) to ensure that storage and archiving procedures are functioning correctly; • Configure and update observer laptops with latest version of Observe software; • Establish the needs of users and monitor user access and security for the Aldabra and SVRSTT servers. • Provide Information Technology-related support to SFA on projects under development to improve the fisheries data management system. • Commissioning and installing new applications in order to make them fit for purpose, which will include: • Liaising with CLS on the design and setting up of the electronic reporting system; • Liaising with IRD on technical aspect of the Observe module being developed for the industrial longline fishery; • Working in collaboration with consultant developing the new vessel and license and registry. • Working in collaboration with IFREMER to develop a web-based reporting system for dissemination of fisheries statistical information. 4. KEY DELIVERABLES The main deliverables of this assignment are: • A detailed work plan including a technical needs assessment. • Monthly progress summaries for the SFA Principal Statistician. • A documented data repository on SVRSTT. • Two servers updated with latest version of T3, Observe, SIH and AVDTH. • A documented backup system. • All laptops and relevant PCs updated with latest version of Observe. • A final technical report on SFA statistical database projects (ERS, Observe LL, SIH-Web Reporting) under development, including their technical requirements, detailed development stages and way forward. 5. ASSIGNMENT DURATION AND TIMING OF ACTIVITIES/DELIVERABLES The assignment will be based entirely in Seychelles and undertaken between September 2017 and March 2018 according to proposed schedule below. | Activity and deliverable | Timing / Deadline | Signing of the contract | Late September 2017 | Submission of the work plan and needs assessment | 30th September 2017 | Data Repository | 30th November 2017 | Server and software updates | Late January 2018 | Submission of 1st draft of the final technical report | 7th March 2018 | Submission of final technical report | 31st March 2018 6. SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITY The Technical Assistant will report to the Seychelles Fishing Authority through the Principal Statistician. The Technical Assistant will work in close collaboration with partner organisations (e.g. IFREMER) as required. The consultant will respond in a timely manner to queries and draft documents. 7. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED For this assignment, the Seychelles Fishing Authority is seeking a consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • BSc (Hons) degree in Information Technology (IT) with specialism in network computing. • Microsoft Certified Professional Certificate. • At least 5-years demonstrable experience in IT and database management. • Knowledge of the following is a must: • Network security and fundamentals; • Querying and processing SQL server data; • R statistical software; • Linux server management; • Oracle databases, • Installing configuring and administering Microsoft Windows Server. • Strong analytical and report writing skills. • Full proficiency in English and working knowledge of French is a requirement. 8. APPLICATION PROCESS The Seychelles Fishing Authority is now inviting consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Expressions of Interest (EOI) shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The deadline for submission of EOI is 15th September 2017 and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Technical Assistance to Seychelles Fishing Authority for Fisheries Statistics”. Interested applicants may obtain further details from Dr. Jan Robinson ([email protected]). The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s procedures. EOIs should be delivered by email to: Chief Executive Officer Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) Fishing Port P.O. Box 449 Seychelles Tel (248) 4670312 Email: [email protected]
Elaboration of a standardized proposal assessment methology (blue bonds onlendin…
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Development of a Standardised Methodology for Technical Evaluation of Loan Applications 1. BACKGROUND Seychelles’ comparative advantage lies with its natural capital as the country is endowed with an extremely rich marine and terrestrial biodiversity. It is one of Conservation International’s designated biodiversity hotspots and has exceptionally high endemism. Seychelles is one of the world's most environmentally conscious nations, having officially protected more than half of its total land area from development and with strong marine environmental protection measures in place. The two most important sectors of the Seychellois economy are tourism and fisheries, both strongly tied to the country marine endowment and biodiversity. The Republic of Seychelles is currently preparing an investment in the framework of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Program (SWIOFish). A long term, regional program, the SWIOFish program aims to increase the economic, social, and environmental benefits to the countries of the southwest Indian Ocean from sustainable marine fisheries. Within this program, Seychelles is preparing the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3). The project development objective of SWIOFish3 is to improve management of marine areas and fisheries in targeted zones and strengthen fisheries value chains in Seychelles. SWIOFish3, which is financed primarily by the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility, will support country-level investments in Seychelles over 6 years and is expected to become effective in late 2017 (see Annex 1 for a more detailed description of the project). SWIOFish3 will be further supported through the issuance of a Blue Bond by the Government of Seychelles as part of an innovative transaction that mobilizes capital markets to finance the country’s blue economy objectives. A Blue Investment Fund will be capitalized with the proceeds of the Blue Bond, which will be administered by the Development Bank of Seychelles (DBS) as a revolving fund to extend commercial loans to projects that are aimed at supporting fisheries restructuring and rebuilding, diversifying and expanding seafood value chains (including aquaculture development, fish processing and value addition), and improving the scope and efficiency of services to the sector. A Technical Committee, independent to DBS, will be appointed to undertake technical reviews of loan applications to the Blue Investment Fund. To support this process, it is necessary to develop a robust technical evaluation methodology for assessing loan applications to the Blue Investment Fund. The methodology will be designed to enable a systematic and transparent score-based approach to evaluation while ensuring alignment with the objectives and key criteria associated with the fund. 2. OBJECTIVES The primary objectives of this consultancy assignment are to develop a technical evaluation methodology for loan applications to the Blue Investment Fund and to train the Technical Committee in the use of the methodology. The Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning (MFTEP) is now recruiting a consultant to undertake this assignment. 3. SCOPE OF WORK The consultant will undertake the following activities in developing a technical evaluation method for loan applications to the Blue Investment Fund (BIF): • Review the plans for implementation of the BIF as detailed in the SWIOFish3 Project Appraisal Document (PAD), the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) and other relevant documents • Synthesize international best practice for technical evaluation of loan applications, including their solicitation as part of sectoral development agenda, and identify appropriate approaches and methods (i.e. options) for the project context • Establish a detailed approach for receiving and processing applications (loan application process), including undertaking preliminary examination of eligibility before plans progress to full technical evaluation. Refine and clarify project eligibility criteria described in the PAD and other documents as appropriate. • Establish a system for technical evaluation that is based on clearly defined criteria and scoring guidelines that can be applied to: • key generic aspects of proposals (i.e. business plans) such as overall quality, market analysis, the financial, social and business models, performance criteria, contingency planning and risk assessment, capacity of the proponent • specific attributes of proposals in relation to SWIOFish3 and BIF objectives and safeguards instruments, national objectives (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals), • Develop guidelines (including templates and instructions) for preparing business plans, safeguards instruments and other application materials for the BIF that are consistent with eligibility and technical evaluation criteria. • Develop training materials and provide training to DBS and members of the Technical Committee on the loan application process and technical evaluation of loans based on bullet (d) above • Develop guidelines and templates for monitoring, supervision and reporting of loan implementation and compliance with safeguards, and provide training to DBS and members of Technical Committee 4. DELIVERABLES The expected outputs of the assignment are: • An inception report (10-page maximum) with detailed work plan, review of best practice and options for approaches to technical evaluation • A ‘how to’ manual on the loan application process for potential applicants and loan application templates including, but not limited to, application process information, application forms, and business plan structures, for potential applicants • A “how-to” manual for technical evaluation of loan applications to the BIF, including training materials (i.e. PowerPoint presentations, examples, etc.) for the DBS and Technical committee • Templates for assessment of loan implementation and for monitoring, supervision and reporting • Training modules and materials on the above for DBS and Technical Committee All outputs and reports are expected to be completed and delivered by the Consultant to the MFTEP no later than 3 months after the signing of the contract. All outputs and final reports should be in English. 5. ASSIGNMENT DURATION AND TIMING The assignment is expected to require thirty (30) working days input by the Consultant and be delivered by the Consultant three (3) months after the signing of the contract. The detailed schedule for delivery is as follows: | Activity | Timing / Deadline | Start date of the consultancy (signing of contract) | 1st September 2017 | Inception report | 15th September 2017 | Draft loan application templates | 15th October 2017 | Draft manual on technical evaluation | 15th October 2017 | Final loan application templates | 15th November 2017 | Final manual on technical evaluation | 15th November 2017 | Training on loan application process and technical evaluation | Late November 2017 6. SUPERVISION RESPONSIBILITY The Consultant will work under the supervision of the Project Implementation Unit embedded within the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning and Department of the Blue Economy. The Consultant will liaise directly with the Development Bank of Seychelles and members of the Technical Committee for the Blue Investment Fund. The consultant will provide regular progress reports by email and will respond in a timely manner to queries and draft documents. 7. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE For this assignment, the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning is seeking to recruit an individual Consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • Master of Business Administration (MBA) or equivalent; • At least 5 years of demonstrable experience in strategic business development and management, portfolio management, business planning, financial or marketing analysis; experience in management of small loans in a commercial bank would be an asset • Experience working with donor-supported sector development projects or renewable resource-based business development would be advantageous; • Excellent written and oral communication skills; • Strong analytical and report writing skills, • Full proficiency in English is a requirement. 8. APPLICATION PROCESS The Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning is now inviting consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Expressions of Interest (EOI) shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The deadline for submission of EOI is 22nd August 2017 and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Development of a Standardised Methodology for Technical Evaluation of Loan Applications”. Interested applicants may obtain further details from Dr Jan Robinson ([email protected]). The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s procedures. EOIs should be delivered by email to: Ms. Elizabeth Agathine Principal Secretary Department of Economic Planning Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning Liberty House P.O. Box 313 Victoria Seychelles Tel (248) 4 382117 Email: [email protected] Annex 1: Draft Project Description SWIOFish3 will support the Government of Seychelles (GOS) in achieving its dual objective of marine resources conservation and expansion of the seafood value chains. Seafood value chains are a cornerstone of the country’s blue economy strategy and their expansion is expected
Preparation of Project Implementation Manual
CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT Preparation of the Project Implementation Manual for the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) • Background Seychelles’ comparative advantage lies with its natural capital as the country is endowed with an extremely rich marine and terrestrial biodiversity. It is one of Conservation International’s designated biodiversity hotspots and has exceptionally high endemism, at over 60% for animals in general and 50% for plants. Seychelles is one of the world's most environmentally conscious nations, having officially protected more than half of its total land area from development and with strong marine environmental protection measures in place. The two most important sectors of the Seychellois economy are tourism and fisheries, both strongly tied to the country marine endowment and biodiversity. Fisheries are of considerable economic, social and food security importance to the country. However, the management of Seychelles marine ecosystems and fisheries is hampered by insufficient legal and institutional frameworks, human capacity and infrastructure. The Republic of Seychelles is currently preparing an investment in the framework of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Program (SWIOFish). A long term, regional program, the SWIOFish program aims to increase the economic, social, and environmental benefits to the countries of the south west Indian Ocean from sustainable marine fisheries. Within this program, Seychelles is preparing the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3). SWIOFish3, which is financed primarily by the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility, will support country-level investments in Seychelles over 6 years and is expected to become effective around September 2017. The project will be further financed by proceeds of Blue Bonds (including a Blue Grants Fund and Blue Investment Fund) that will be issued by the Government of Seychelles on private investment markets. The project development objective of SWIOFish3 is to improve management of marine areas and fisheries in targeted zones and strengthen fisheries value chains in Seychelles. The project will be implemented under 4 components, namely: • Component 1: Expanded sustainable-use marine protected areas; • Component 2: Improved governance of priority fisheries; • Component 3: Sustainable development of the blue economy, • Component 4: Project management and coordination. Draft descriptions of the project and implementation arrangements can be found in annexes 1 and 2, respectively. • Objective of the Consultancy The primary objective of this assignment is to support the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning (MFTEP) in the preparation of the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) for the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3). The World Bank will review and approve the PIM before the project can become effective. The PIM will be the key reference document describing the SWIOFish3 project operations to various stakeholders and project implementers at various administrative levels. The overall objective of the PIM is to provide clear guidance on how the project’s components will be implemented and operationalized as well as to describe the institutional set-up and management of the project. • Scope of Work The consultant will draft the Project Implementation Manual for the SWIOFish3 project, which will include the following: • Provide an overview of the overall project, including project objectives indicators, project components, project beneficiaries, and safeguard issues, building upon documents already prepared or in preparation[1]; • Provide a detailed description of project components, sub-components and planned activities, and detail the institutional and implementation arrangements of each component/sub-component; • Describe the overall institutional and implementation arrangements, including those relating to use of the proceeds from the Blue Bonds; • Describe the detailed arrangement and procedures for (i) procurement; (ii) financial management, disbursement and accounting; and (iii) auditing, encompassing funding streams derived from the World Bank and GEF financing and the proceeds from the Blue Bonds, • Describe the arrangements for performance management as well as monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and specify the agreed reporting requirements. • Methodology The tasks described above will be undertaken based on: a desk-top study of the relevant SWIOFish3 project preparation documents; the drafting of the PIM in close collaboration with the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) in the MFTEP and Department of Blue Economy; and finalisation of the PIM based on reviews by the PIU and the World Bank. • Expected outputs and deliverables The expected outputs of the assignment are: • An inception report containing a short description of the proposed approach and work plan for completing the assignment; • A draft PIM taking into consideration tasks described in the scope of work, and • A final PIM incorporating comments received from the PIU and World Bank. All outputs and reports are expected to be completed and delivered by the Consultant to the Project Implementation Unit no later than 3 months after the signing of the contract. All outputs and final reports should be in English. • Responsibilities of the contracting party The PIU will be responsible for compiling all relevant literature and documentation for use by the Consultant. • Timing and Reporting The assignment is expected to require forty (40) working days input by the Consultant and be delivered by the Consultant 3 months after the signing of the contract. The detailed schedule for delivery is as follows: | Activity | Timing / Deadline | Start date of the consultancy | 7th June 2017 | Submission of brief inception report | 15th June 2017 | Submission of the draft PIM | 7th July 2017 | Reception of comments from PIU | 22nd July 2017 | Submission of pre-final PIM | 7th August 2017 | Reception of comment from World Bank | 22nd August 2017 | Submission of final PIM | 7th September 2017 • Supervision Responsibility The Consultant will work under the supervision of the Project Implementation Unit embedded within the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning and Department of the Blue Economy, and will also receive technical support from the World Bank. • Consultant Qualifications For this assignment, the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning is seeking to recruit an individual Consultant with the following profile and specific qualifications: • Master’s degree or equivalent; • At least 5 years of demonstrable experience in project development and management. Experience from fisheries or natural resource management projects will be an added advantage; • Demonstrable experience working with World Bank projects, including with development of Project Implementation Manuals or implementation of projects; • Excellent written and oral communication skills; • Strong analytical and report writing skills, • Full proficiency in English is a requirement. 10. Application Process The Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning is now inviting consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Expressions of Interest (EOI) shall consist of a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The deadline for submission of EOI is 31st May 2017 and should be clearly marked using the Subject Line ‘‘Preparation of the Project Implementation Manual for SWIOFish3”. Interested applicants may obtain further technical details from the contact below. The procurement process will be conducted according to the World Bank’s procedures. Complete EOI should be delivered by email to: Dr Jan Robinson Consultant (SWIOFish3) Ministry of Finance, Trade and Economic Planning Seychelles Phone +248 2616044 Email: [email protected] Annex 1: Draft Project Description SWIOFish3 will support the Government of Seychelles (GOS) in achieving its dual objective of marine resources conservation and expansion of the seafood value chains. Seafood value chains are a cornerstone of the country’s blue economy strategy and their expansion is expected to deliver long-term, resilient growth, jobs, and food security and will be the focus of Component 3. However, this development will not be sustainable if the marine resource base is not properly managed, which will be supported by Components 1 and 2. Because marine and coastal resource management will potentially translate into reduced access to the resource, Component 3 will compensate fishers for any loss of access and foster adherence to the management measures. As such, Components 1, 2, and 3 are intimately linked. SWIOFish3 will create a Blue Grants Fund and a Blue Investment Fund to contribute to this dual objective. These two funds will be capitalized with the proceeds of the Blue Bond to be issued by the GOS with the support of the World Bank and the GEF. The activities eligible for the Blue Grants Fund will contribute to the expansion of the sustainable-use marine protected areas