What is the DLIST ASCLME Project all about...?
 The Distance Learning and Information Sharing Tool (DLIST) was first developed for the south-western coast of Africa (Angola, Namibia and South Africa). DLIST BCLME was funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) as a medium-sized project (MSP) that was implemented along with the first phase of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) Project.
The DLIST BCLME MSP proved to be very successful in involving local stakeholders in spreading information and in improving communication between different tiers of society. More people are becoming involved each month. Hence the DLIST approach was included already in the planning phase of the newly established Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ASCLME) Project which aims at achieving more sustainable use of marine and coastal resources in the Western Indian Ocean island states and along the east coast of Africa.
DLIST ASCLME consists of a web-based platform where members can have online discussions about different issues, contribute and find information, and share materials such as photos of the ASCLME region. The online platform is however only one of the tools that DLIST uses to involve local stakeholders in the planning process for the ASCLME project. Other tools are for example the travelling film festival, distance learning courses and a help desk. Partners also create kiosks on the website.
DLIST ASCLME is not only about planning. It also hopes to contribute to improving the livelihoods of coastal inhabitants. DLIST ASCLME is actively involved in establishing nine demonstration sites across the region. Most importantly, the web-based platform provides a focal point for a growing Community of Practice (CoP), that is, people across the region that have good management of natural resources across the region and the welfare of its people who live there, at heart. The DLIST demonstration sites are carefully selected coastal communities (one in each of the participating countries) where the DLIST team works closely with the community members to help them identify their weaknesses and opportunities for sustainable development and a better future. More information about the work taking place in the sites can be found on the demonstration site pages on www.dlist-asclme.org as well as in some of the below articles.
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An introduction to the DLIST ASCLME web-based platform
 This web-based platform helps to collect and disseminate the knowledge, views and opinions of local communities, NGOs, universities and government organisations in eight countries situated in the Western Indian Ocean. Individuals and communities are able to discuss topics of concern, debate burning issues and also share knowledge with others. Exciting topics include the unique biodiversity along our coastal areas, areas of special interest, community livelihood concerns and issues of distress. Discussions are aimed at raising issues, sharing ideas, knowledge and experiences and working together to develop possible solutions.
Many tools are available on the website. There’s a document library where policies and guidelines are made available, articles of interest can be found and even environmental status reports. An image gallery houses images captured throughout the Western Indian Ocean. Pictures of communities, marine resources and coastal features are easily accessible. Access to both the document library and the image gallery is efficient through the use of a basic or an advanced search function. Different distance learning courses are offered, supported by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Other courses are aimed at broadening your knowledge on core environmental issues such as the environmental engineering course. The site also has a list of registered partners (see the partner directory) which are different organisations active in the environmental sector throughout the region. Anyone who is a member of DLIST can open a partner kiosk for their organisation or company.
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Featured Partner
 Chumbe Island Coral Park is a 0.4 ha Marine Sanctuary near Stonetown in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is a private conservation initiative, where income from a small eco-lodge covers the operational costs for the lodge as well as park management and a large environmental education programme for school children and university students from Zanzibar and abroad. The lodge uses 100% environmentally friendly technologies such as solar energy, compost toilets, and artificial wetlands for grey water treatment and rain water harvesting since there is no fresh water on the island. The company has a management agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment in Zanzibar to manage the reef and forest reserve on behalf of the Government.
Private conservation efforts are never easy and straight forward. In the beginning Chumbe had many unreasonable expectations from people living in nearby communities, where they wanted the company to donate new fishing boats and other equipment, pay regular compensation fees etc. As a private and “commercial” initiative however, it cannot compete with large donor funded projects where large budgets for compensatory activities are not unusual. The Chumbe initiative pays annual land lease, full income tax, corporate tax, hotel licence fees etc. and still manages to spend around a third of the revenue on the conservation and education efforts. These high commercial operating costs unfortunately leave nothing for direct compensations activities to nearby community members. In an effort to benefit the closest villages, the company tries to hire as many staff as possible from these communities to work on the lodge, mainly in housekeeping, maintenance or ranger departments where in-house job training can be provided.
After around 10 years of tireless education about the marine environment and why conservation of a small area can benefit even the local people, the fishing community in the nearby villages begin to see the advantages. During recent community visits, carried out by the island rangers together with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Zanzibar, local fishers are asking for more marine conservation areas. They are beginning to see that the reef on Chumbe is teeming with life and the fish catch is much better near the marine sanctuary than anywhere else in the area. Therefore they want help to get rid of outside fishers coming to their reefs to fish using destructive and often illegal gear. That is truly a step in the right direction and Chumbe hopes to be able to support the government’s marine conservation efforts for many years to come in the beautiful Zanzibar archipelago.
If you want to propose a featured partner entry, have the organisation register itself on the partner directory and bring them to the attention of the DLIST admin.
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Featured Process: South East Marine Protected Area (SEMPA) Rodrigues Island, Mauritius
If you know of a process that can help inform the DLIST Community of Practice in terms of improved resource use, why not contact DLIST Admin to share this in an article?
 Rodrigues Island is located some 650 km to the North East and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It is surrounded by a coral reef which shelters a lagoon of 240 km2. The reef and adjacent inner and outer lagoon host a diversity of species of which some have been found to be new to science.
A high percentage of the marine ecosystem in Rodrigues is still in a relatively pristine state. However, there is growing concern among the population and the government regarding the continuous degradation of marine ecosystem. To mitigate all factors affecting the marine environment, various policy measures are being implemented; one of which is the setting up of a marine protected area in the South of Rodrigues called the South East Marine Protected Area (SEMPA). The South East Marine Protected Area is funded by UNDP/GEF/RRA under the project Partnerships in Mauritius and Rodrigues for Marine Protected Areas.
The SEMPA project area has a total surface area of 43 square kilometers where a variety of activities including kite surfing, diving, snorkelling and fishing activities among others occurs. These users are key stakeholders who participate in the decision making process through an innovative co-management approach. The main stakeholder within the South East Marine Protected Area is a population of about 950 fishers who are exploiting the meagre remaining resources.
For greater efficiency and sustainable use a management plan will be prepared for the area. Presently the project has gained momentum and various activities are underway. These activities range from awareness-raising of marine resources to demarcation of the MPA boundaries.
Rodrigues recently participated in visioning exercises for the National Policy for a Sustainable Mauritius (Maurice Ile Durable). It soon became clear that the work associated with SEMPA will also be able to inform this landmark policy of the Republic of Mauritius.
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DLIST in Le Morne village, Mauritius
Joanna Louis, local facilitator in Le Morne
 The Le Morne Cultural Landscape, a World Heritage Site since 2008, is one of the least developed coastal areas in Mauritius. It represents one of the last relatively unspoilt landscapes where heritage of global significance is found (www.unesco.org).
The DLIST ASCLME team have been working in Le Morne since 2009. Together with the Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund and other relevant authorities they conducted visioning exercises with the fishers in the area to identify their needs, weakness and opportunities for a better future and a sustainable use of the natural resources. During the meetings, a Lagoon Management Committee was established and some of the issues which have been identified so far are sea and land-based pollution, coastal erosion and conflict with kite and wind surfers and dwindling fish resources.
All the fishers agree that their livelihood is in danger and that the work of fishermen is dying out. One reason is lack of capacity building and access to proper fishing equipment, and another is because the youth don’t want work as fishers anymore.
The fishers want to manage the lagoon, but they fear that their access to the resources will be limited by conservation efforts. They already suffer from conflict with other users including fishers from other areas as well as the hotel-related impacts and tourism activities. Some of the fishers are against making the lagoon a conservation area, but I think they are slowly developing a better understanding of the conservation through this project.
The fishers have great hope that the Committee and the DLIST team will develop a management plan for the lagoon. This will make the Government understand the importance of our lagoon. Even if many still remain to be convinced of what has to be done, most of the fishers really want to change the situation and make a better future for their families.
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DlIST ASCLME dans le Village du Morne
Joanna Louis, facilitateur local du village du Morne
Le Paysage Culturelle du Morne inscrit comme Patrimoine Mondiale de L’UNESCO en Juillet 2008, est l’une des villages côtiers le moins développe de Ile Maurice. Ce site est l’un des sites les plus préservée et authentique ou la culture et les valeurs des gens vivant la sont restes intact.
Le group DLIST ASCLME travaille dans le Village du Morne depuis 2009. Et en collaboration avec Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund et d’autres autorités concernées ils ont commences à faire différente réunion avec les pécheurs du village afin de savoir leur faiblesse ainsi que les différente opportunités qui existent dans le lagon afin de garantir un future durable ou les différentes ressource seront préservée. Durant ses différentes rencontres un Comité pour la gérance du lagon a été mise sur pied et déjà différente point crucial ont été identifie comme : La pollution terrestre et marine, érosion cotiere, problemes avec les kite et Wind surfer et le taux en basse de poisson.
Tous les pécheurs sont d’accord pour dire que leur quotidien est en danger et que le métier de pécheur est entrain de nourrir. Parmi ses reasons sont le manque de formation et d’Equipment nécessaire et l’autre c’est le désintéressant des jeunes a reprendre le flambeau de leur aïeux.
Les pécheurs veulent mettre leur lagon sous gérance mais en même temps ils ont peur que sa dimunie encore une fois l’espace déjà restreinte de lieux de pêche actuelle, étant donne que déjà ils sont en perpétuel conflit ave les autres pécheurs et les activités touriste qui entent dans le lagon. En sus certain pécheurs sont contre la gérance et l’ouverture d’une dans le lagon mais grâce a ce comité je suis sure qu’ils changeront d’avis.
Les pécheurs ont grande foi dans le comite et les groups Dlist afin qu’ils développent un plan de gérance qui va préserver l’environnement marine mais aussi un autre moyen de faire refleurir les ressource marin qui exister autrefois. Ainsi le Gouvernement prendra conscience de l’importance du Lagon du Morne, même si certain sont encore sceptique sur ce qui doit être fait, les pêcheurs gardent espoir que la situation va changer pour leur avenir et celui de leur familles.
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Latest news from the demonstration site in Vilanculos, Mozambique
Oriana Lemos, DLIST coordinator in Mozambique
 Vilanculos is the coastal town in Mozambique, chosen as a demonstration site of the DLIST ASCLME project. The inhabitants depend heavily on marine and coastal resources. Vilanculos is also an attractive tourist destination with the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park and World Heritage Site on the other side of the bay. Due to the high dependency on natural resources and the rapid population increase along with a constantly growing tourism industry – the pressure on the coastal and marine resources is growing rapidly. The fishing gear and methods used by the fishers are making this problem worse. Therefore, there is an urgent need for action to ensure a more sustainable resource use in this area.
The DLIST team have visited the town to learn how people are living and using the natural resources. They conducted meetings with many stakeholders to hear their opinions on how to improve the situation. Many issues and possible solutions have been listed. They include the need for more education related to the environment and the consequences of using destructive fishing methods. Zoning for different activities in the sea and coastal areas was also suggested as well as more research on sustainable harvest levels of fish so that the number of fishing licences can be limited accordingly. Alternative livelihoods should also be introduced and value adding to the fish catch such as improved preservation and packing.
The community is clearly interested in improving their situation and are asking for assistance to do it right. The DLIST team is very engaged in working with this demonstration community because it has a lot of potential to be a very good example of how to achieve development when people join efforts and work together for a better future.
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Últimas notícias do local de demonstração em Vilanculos, Moçambique
Oriana Lemos, coordenadora do DLIST em Moçambique
Vilanculos é a cidade costeira de Moçambique, escolhida como um local de demonstração do projecto DLIST ASCLME. Os moradores dependem fortemente dos recursos marinhos e costeiros. Vilanculos é também um destino turístico atraente, com o Parque Nacional do Arquipélago de Bazaruto e Património da Humanidade, do outro lado da baía. Devido à elevada dependência dos recursos naturais e o aumento rápido da população, juntamente com uma indústria de turismo em constante crescimento - a pressão sobre os recursos costeiros e marinhos está crescendo rapidamente. A pesca e os métodos utilizados pelos pescadores estão a agravar o problema. Portanto, há uma necessidade urgente de acção para assegurar uma utilização mais sustentável dos recursos nesta área.
A equipe DLIST visitou a cidade para saber como as pessoas vivem e utilizam os recursos naturais. Eles realizaram muitas reuniões com os interessados para ouvir as suas opiniões sobre como melhorar a situação. Muitos problemas e possíveis soluções foram listados. Eles incluem a necessidade de mais educação relacionados com o ambiente e as consequências da utilização de métodos de pesca destrutivos. O zoneamento para diferentes actividades no mar e das zonas costeiras também foi sugerido, bem como mais pesquisa sobre os níveis de pesca sustentáveis de modo a que o número de licenças de pesca possa ser limitado em conformidade. Meios de subsistência alternativos devem também ser introduzidas e o aumento do valor do pescado, conseguido através de uma melhor preservação e embalagem.
A comunidade está claramente interessada em melhorar a sua situação e pedem ajuda para fazê-lo da melhor forma. A equipe DLIST esta muito empenhada em trabalhar com esta comunidade, pois tem muito potencial para ser um bom exemplo de como alcançar o desenvolvimento, quando as pessoas unem esforços e trabalham juntas por um futuro melhor.
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Stakeholder Participation for a better future – DLIST distance learning course
 The distance learning course “Stakeholder Participation for a Better Future” was first offered in October 2008 and has been very popular since the start. The course is now running for the fourth time with participants from both the ASCLME and BCLME regions and even further afield. The participants are awarded a certificate after completing all assignments for the course.
In total, more than 35 people have taken the course and expanded their knowledge in stakeholder participation issues and shared their experiences with people from all over Southern Africa. The course participants come from a wide range of organisations such as local and national government ministries, universities and research foundations as well as consultancy firms and regional and local NGOs. So far participants from Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mauritius and Madagascar have completed the course. When registering for the course, each participant is asked to say why they want to join the course and the following represents some of these reasons;
“This course will assist me in better planning and stakeholder engagement, to be able to play a more active role in decision making processes.”
“Normally projects do not take place in isolation and the course offers the opportunity to involve stakeholders at an early stage for a better future. I’m hoping that the course will open my mind to new knowledge and prepare me in taking informed decision to ensure a brighter future.”
“Nothing can be done without stakeholders, so I expect this course to widen my knowledge on how to involve stakeholder in all development process. It is a way of making people feels the project or any undertakings are theirs.”
The next round of this course will be starting on the 5th of July with moderation offered in both English and Portuguese. If you want to improve your ability to conduct stakeholder analyses, learn how to better engage stakeholders and how to work toward increased representation and ownership – please contact the course administrator Oriana Lemos at oriana@ecoafrica.co.za.
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