PERSGA organized a regional training workshop on “The Mapping Techniques for Marine Protected Areas in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden” during 6-8 January 2015 at Port Sudan, Sudan. The workshop was attended by 16 national trainees from PERSGA member states with the leading of an international consultant.
Throughout three days, the participant were trained on a range of different field survey methods that can be used to collect data for creating maps for use in the planning and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
This training workshop comes in the framework of implementing one of the main interventions by component 1 of the SEM project. This intervention is focusing on raising the ability of the participants and MPAs managers to assist in the design of MPA zoning plans.
The training covered survey methods to collect data for mapping habitats, pressures / uses provided through both classroom-based and field based training sessions. The workshop concluded with lessons on how these data can be used to produce a series of operational maps that can help plan for the management of MPAs.
The trainees learned how to plan a field survey, and how to use a hand-held Geographical Positioning System (GPS) to navigate to survey points, collect waypoints, and how to download GPS points and tracks.
At the end of the training workshop, trainees demonstrated how these types of data can be used to create maps that can be combined and used to assist in the design of MPA zoning plans, the preparation of MPA management plans and in the operation of an MPA including the monitoring of the effectiveness of management actions.

Capacity building in Planning and Management of Marine Protected Areas play an important role in supporting the conservation process and sustainable usage of the marine natural resources. This has been among PERSGA priorities that triggered establishing a Regional Network of Marine Protected Areas (PERSGA MPARN). This is also one of the main objectives of the Regional Project of Strategic Ecosystembased Management of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, that PERSGA implements in collaboration with the World Bank supported by GEF. Within the Project’s activities PERSGA held this regional training workshop on MPAs Management and Planning in the Red Sea & Gulf of Aden during the period February 22nd -24th 2015 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Workshop was attended by about 25 participants of MPA managers, local communities, and relevant institutions in PERSGA countries. An International and a regional consultants in addition to PERSGA coordinator of Biodiversity, coordinator of Component 1 in the SEM Project facilitated the discussions during the workshop. The program included a combination of background information on MPAs planning and management, plenary discussions and work group exercises. Principles of MPAs planning and management as well as processes of data gathering and participatory mapping of habitats were discussed. At the end of the workshop, the participant were trained on the evaluation of MPAs management effectiveness. The Scorecard Method developed by the World Bank was used for this purpose. Participants were given the chance to through this training to evaluate the management effectiveness of their relevant MPAs.

PERSGA organized a regional workshop on “Review of Fishery Legislations, Policies and Management in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden” during 10-12 November 2014 at PERSGA HQ in Jeddah. The workshop was attended by national experts from PERSGA member states and regional and national consultants. The workshop was organized in the framework of conducting a regional comprehensive study focusing on review of national and regional legislations, policies and management related to regulation of fishery and protection of marine environment in the region.

The review study is planned to be finalized by next April 2015, and is anticipated to assist member states in their systematic national efforts to review and promote existing laws to mainstream relevant international and regional conventions; coping with emerging environmental issues; and facilitate adoption of new concepts and approaches, such as the ecosystem based management (EBM). Integrated and updated legal systems are considered essential cornerstone for sustainable management and protection of marine environment and living resources. The current regional review study is one of the activities undertaken by component (2) of the “Strategic Ecosystem Management of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden” regional project, which is executed by PERSGA in collaboration the World Bank (WB) and support of the Global Environmental Facilities (GEF). The project is implemented during 2014-2017 and addresses regional capacities to implement EBM in management of living marine resources, protected areas and environmental monitoring.The workshop program chiefly included training f regional study team on the conceptual approach and research methodology for data collection and review study.

PERSGA organized the 2nd regional workshop on “Review of Legislation, Strategies, Policies and Management Plans for Living Marine Resources (LMR) in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden” during 4th-6th May 2015 at PERSGA HQ in Jeddah. The workshop involved the international consultant, the regional study team including the regional and national consultants and representatives of the national agencies in PERSGA member states, and the regional LMR coordinator and experts at PERSGA. It focused on discussion of the draft regional and national assessment reports, and recommendations regarding gaps in legislation, policies and management to be addressed by the member states. It also discussed setting up standard guidelines for the future assessments in the framework of adaptive management to be achieved, and work plan for the follow-up actions to be implemented as demonstration activities in the project pilot countries.

The project “strategic ecosystem management of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden” (SEM project) is a GEF supported regional project executed by the PERSGA and implemented by the World Bank. The project is focused on supporting actual on-the-ground activities to facilitate transition from current management practices to ecosystem-based management, demonstrating the added value through institutional reforms and participatory demonstration activities in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region. The current workshop came under implementation of component (ii) of the project, which principally seeks to support institutional and technical capacity needed for communities to use and protect living marine resources to increase net benefits derived from the resources in a sustainable manner. The sustainability of the ecosystem based management and the community based activities that will be developed through stakeholders participation shall be supported by effective fishery legislation, strategies and management policies and practices. Therefore, one of the essential interventions to be undertaken by the project is the review of national laws and management strategies, policies and practices for the fishery and aquaculture sector in PERSGA countries, in order to attend policy options and facilitate relevant principles and instruments for ecosystem based management.

To achieve this intervention, PERSGA hired an international consultant to lead the review process in the region and provide technical assistance to a regional team of experts and representatives of national agencies undertaking the review in the member states. An initial regional workshop held in November 2014 joined the international consultant with the regional team, and introduced the participants to the methodology and approach of the study, and the relevant background on international/ regional conventions and protocols, policies and initiatives, as well as principles of co-management and ecosystem approach to be considered in the review assessments. Following that the national consultants worked to carry out assessments in their respective PERSGA countries. The process included extensive reviews of legal and policy documents, collection of data through structured questionnaires with national agencies and stakeholders, which enabled preparation of national assessment reviews. Based on this reviews, the international consultants will worked to synthesize the final report of the regional review. This was covered through a series of presentations focused on the principles of ecosystem based approach, and the relevant international/ regional conventions and initiatives, such as CBD, FAO Code of Conduct, etc. The program also included group discussions on issues related to harmonization of environmental and fishery laws, the guidelines and questionnaires for data collection, and the assessment methodologies to be adopted by the study.

A three day regional workshop on Guidelines for Ecosystem Approach, Comanagement and Livelihoods of Coastal Communities in MPAs was held at PERSGA Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during the period June 8th – 11th 2015. The workshop joined about 20 specialists from Djibouti, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The main objectives of the workshop included:

• introducing national specialists and community trainers to the guidelines, training modules, topics, approaches and protocols.
• Providing the participants with required theoretical background and additional resources and materials that assist with implementation of training programs at national levels.
• Discussing the draft manual through consulting the participants views and remarks, and emphasizing gaps to be considered in preparation of the final draft of the manual
• Provide background on the relevant international/ regional conventions and protocols, policies and initiatives, case studies and options for regional and international collaborations/ linkages.
• Discuss the way forward for finalizing the draft manual and the work plan for implementing training programs at regional, national and local community levels; and monitoring progress with the capacity building process in the region

As an outcome of workshop review and discussions, revised structure of the training modules and contents of the manual were agreed on. The regional consultant has revised the manual accordingly, and has recently submitted a comprehensive final draft, which will be reviewed to finalize the manual, to be used as main reference in national training , which will assist technical staff and trainers undertaking capacity building workshops targeting local user groups and stakeholders at project sites in the future.

This workshop in Jordan, comes in this framework of organizing national follow up activities in order to discuss and validate the national legislation assessment findings and recommendations, and to build up momentum for the follow-up actions in the member states, in order to support mainstreaming EBM principles in national laws, policies and management plans. The workshop was held on 2nd November 2015 at Aqaba, and attended by 22 participants, including representatives of national agencies and national stakeholders, the national consultant, the SEM project national coordinator and PERSGA PCU members.

Presentations in the workshop were delivered by the national consultant and the regional PERSGA/ LMR coordinator, which were followed by discussion sessions. The main outcomes of the workshop included validation and enrichment of the national assessment results and recommendations on policy and legislation required to mainstream of EBM and co-management principles; and formulation of a road map and plan for follow up activities regarding LMR legislations/policies and management reforms. Following the workshop, the national coordinator worked to establish a national committee of all relevant stakeholders with ToR of proposing legislation reforms and follow up with national legislative authorities to back up the proposal.

This workshop in Sudan, also comes in this framework of organizing national follow up activities in order to discuss and validate the national legislation assessment findings and recommendations, and to build up momentum for the follow-up actions in the member states, in order to support mainstreaming EBM principles in national laws, policies and management plans. The workshop was held in combination with the 1st capacity building workshop focusing on applying Ecosystem Approach principles in identification of livelihoods subprojects during 14-16 December 2015. It was attended by 45 participants, including representatives of national agencies and stakeholders, the national and international consultants of components 1 and 2, national coordinator and PERSGA PCU members. It has thus provided an excellent platform to discuss all legislation and governance issues related to fishery management and the draft management plan of Dungonab National Marine Park.

Presentations in the workshop were delivered by the international consultants, national consultant and the regional PERSGA/ LMR coordinator, which were interconnected by discussion sessions. The main outcomes of the workshop included validation and enrichment of the national assessment results and recommendations on policy and legislation required to mainstream of EBM and co-management principles; discussing governance and related organizational issues as part of the MPA management plan; and a road map for follow up activities regarding LMR legislations/policies and management reforms. Furthermore, experts from the UNESCO Chair for Marine Science and National Committee for Education, Science and Culture, who are in charge of national submission of application to consider Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park as a World Heritage (natural) Site were invited to participate in the workshop, whereby part of the discussion was focused on synergies between SEM interventions and the recognition process, particularly the tangible impacts of these interventions in supporting the MPA management capacities and strengthening overall governance through legislation and policy reforms

Following the workshop, the national consultant worked to collect remarks by key agencies and stakeholders to be considered in the national assessment report. The final report will be then submitted to A national committee of all relevant stakeholders with mandate of proposing legislation reforms and follow up with national legislative authorities to back up the proposal; which will be formed and coordinated during the next phase of the project.

A two day regional workshop on Harmonization of Environmental and Socioeconomic Monitoring in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Countries and Updating a Regional Monitoring Manual has been organised at PERSGA headquarter in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during the period 25- 26/02/2015. The workshop was attended by about twenty five specialists from the participating countries, as well as a number of national and international consultants.

In preparing for this workshop, PERSGA has carried out a study to assess the current status, needs and priorities of environmental and socio-economic monitoring and also worked on updating PERSGA Standard Survey Methods (SSM) Manual for Key Habitats and Key Species in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden which was first developed in 2004. The main objective here was to develop simple and usable monitoring techniques which are suitable forecosystem based management and involvement of the local community and the different stakeholders.

The workshop came within the implementation of component 3 of the SEM project, which is concerned with the environmental and socio-economic monitoring in the coastal areas of the region. The overall objective of the workshop was to discuss the PERSGA Standards Survey Methods Manual (2004) to identify a common goal for a regional monitoring programme and the priority methods for inclusion in an updated regional monitoring manual. The workshop provided the opportunity for the national consultants to present the findings from their reviews of monitoring methods and evaluation of the current status of monitoring activities in their countries in order to identify the strength weaknesses in order to assist the countries to enhance their national monitoring programs. The workshop was highly active and witnessed fruitful discussions between the participants drawing the basic outlines of the monitoring indicators that will be measured within component 3 in the remaining period of the Project.

A regional workshop on “Exchange of Environmental and Socioeconomic Monitoring Results and Inter-calibration of Methods” has been organised in Aqaba, Jordan during the period 3- 5/11/2015. The workshop was attended by about Fifty five specialists from the participating countries, as well as a number of national and international consultants. It came within the implementation of component 3 of the SEM project, which is concerned with the environmental and socio-economic monitoring in the coastal areas of the region. The main objectives of the workshop are:

• To discuss early finding in national monitoring activities
• Discussing lessons learnt and identify difficulties facing actual monitoring
• To verify effectiveness of common tabulation of data to feed in a regional database.

Monitoring in the participating countries is conducted by institutions actively involved in coastal and marine environmental as well as socioeconomic monitoring. Personnel involved will have good knowledge of the theory and principles of this type of monitoring. This includes monitoring natural and anthropogenic variables in seawater, sediments and biota; key habitats and species as well as socioeconomic variables. Monitoring involves stakeholders and community members from PERSGA Countries. This is in fulfilment of the SEM Project Results Framework Indicator 2.1: Percentage of fishermen involved in fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance activities; and Indicator 3.1: Number of PERSGA member country staff trained on common monitoring variables and methods. The workshop took place directly after actual monitoring has started, so that it would enable exchange of early results collected and inter-calibration of methods.
The workshop was highly interactive and witnessed a fruitful discussion between the participants. It also provided an ideal platform for exchanging of experience and lessons learn through conducting actual environmental and socioeconomic monitoring.

The workshop was organised in collaboration between Djiboutian Ministry of Housing, Urbanism and Environment “MHUE” and the Regional Organization for Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden “PERSGA” This National Workshop on “Environmental and Socioeconomic Monitoring for Stakeholders Awareness and outreach in Djibouti” took place at the People’s Palace in the city of Djibouti on Sunday, November 15th 2015 under the patronage of His Excellency the Secretary General of MHUE. It comes in the framework of the implementation of component 3 of the SEM project. The workshop was attended by about 40 participants representing different stakeholders in Djibouti.

The workshop provided an effective opportunity for discussions and exchange of views shed the light on the status, difficulties and challenges that the Djiboutian fishermen face, also to discuss the proposed mechanisms to develop solutions for these issues.

The workshop came out with a number of recommendations:

• prevent dredging by foreign ships
• stakeholder shall participate in the process of developing fisheries legislations
• appropriate solutions must be developed for the following issues and challenges that the fishermen face in Djibouti
• fishing for fun by tourists depriving the Djiboutian fishermen from utilizing these resources
• overfishing of sea cucumbers at night
• fishing of juveniles by diving, causing damage to the habitat (coral)
• the use of fish nets without restrictions
• the export of fisheries and coral, fishermen have information
• a phosphate export terminal is being constructed at the port of Djibouti which will increase the risk of ballast water
• promotion of the communication among the relevant authorities – the Coast Guard, Maritime Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment