National level community consultations for marine spatial planning gets underway in Samoa

The Phase 1 consultation aims to collect as much information as possible from community members to inform on the use and management of Samoa’s ocean spaces for the future. Consultations began in Upolu from the 17^th August and will run until 23^rd September covering at least 28  Districts on the island, while consultations in Savaii begins from 04^th October until the end of month, with the aim to cover the remaining 14 districts.

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a practical way of organising the human use of marine areas to balance the demands of human activities with the need to protect the health of the ecosystems on which those activities depend. MSP involves establishing zones or boundaries in which certain activities may or may not be carried out.

Through the four-year project funding (2019 – 2022) provided by the European Union Global Climate Change Alliance Plus Initiative (GCCA+), the national consultations are being undertaken with support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Samoa, the Samoa Umbrella of Non-Government Organisation and with further support from Conservation International Samoa and Waitt Foundation and Waitt Institute. Consultations were initially scheduled for 2020, however, was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As national community consultations are rolled-out, the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Division of Environment & Conservation of MNRE Seumaloisalafai Afele Faiilagi, highlighted that

the national planning process is a relevant and essential step towards soliciting information and input on the proposed management and zonation of Samoa’s EEZ from community members whose lives and livelihoods depend on the ocean

Further, he added, “the information from the country-wide community consultation will inform the integrated coastal and marine resource management areas and spatial marine zoning of the Samoa’s Marine Spatial Plan”.

      Photo: Mr Afele Faiilaga, ACEO of MNRE. PC SUNGO

A participatory consultation process is a key step in the 10-step MSP process developed for Pacific Islands under the MACBIO project which ran from 2014 – 2018. Drawing from lessons learnt from this project, Mr Hans Wendt, IUCN Marine Programme Coordinator highlighted the importance of stakeholder consultations.

Elaborating on the MSP 10-step process, he added that “MSP requires informed and meaningful consultations, conducted using gender and rights-based approaches, with traditional owners and users; other coastal and marine users, including private and commercial interests; government agencies; and civil society groups, to minimise conflicts or inadvertently disadvantaging certain groups”.

I thank the European Union GCCA+ Fund, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Samoa, the Samoa Umbrella of Non-Government Organisation, Conservation International Samoa, Waitt Foundation, Waitt Institute and IUCN for supporting this national level consultation in our common effort to create a marine spatial plan for Samoa. Any plan of this nature requires the free, prior informed consent of communities and resources owners if the plan is to be sustainable in the long term and I wish all stakeholders every success.  Fa'afetai tele lava   

said Mason Smith, Regional Director of IUCN Oceania.

The national community consultation process on MSP is one of the many meaningful ways in which to participate. Should you wish to learn more about the MSP project or contribute towards the planning process, please contact Project Coordinator, Atonio Mulipola or Maria Satoa.