e Coastal and Marine Resources Management in the Coral Triangle-Southeast Asia (CTI-SEA) published its second experience note on building know-how on the application of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) in Sabah on 18 June 2015. The paper discussed lessons and benefits from working closely with partners from the Department of Fisheries Sabah (DOF) Sabah and DOF Malaysia in conducting two Essential EAFM trainings. The collaboration not only led to cost-savings for the agencies involved but also in building trust and confidence among stakeholders who are now working together to apply EAFM. Stakeholder engagement is a crucial element in the transboundary management of large marine ecosystems.
[Essential EAFM trainings in Malaysia lead to deeper trust and confidence among stakeholders combatting overfishing]

Essential EAFM trainer Ms. Tan Geik Hong of the Department of Fisheries Malaysia guides stakeholders during a group activity.

Fifteen fisheries officers of DOF Sabah joined the first Essential EAFM session which was held from 10-15 August 2014. The second training on EAFM was conducted for 20 stakeholders from the East Coast of Sabah on 26-29 October 2014 using a shortened version of the Essential EAFM that was produced by the Coral Triangle Consortium. This version was translated to Bahasa Melayu and a module was added to show how stakeholders can play a role under this new regime in fisheries management. The second group included traders of groupers, which are exported live to Hong Kong, China, etc.;  grouper cage operators; pelagic fish traders (who provide feeds to cage operators); tourist operators; and local community leaders and officers.

Both sessions were attended by fisheries officers from other states in Malaysia.  A total of 26 personnel from DOF Malaysia participated in these two training sessions held in Sabah.

The trainings aimed to build their capacity in implementing EAFM in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. It was also intended to pilot-test the newly translated materials from English to Bahasa Melayu. The training modules were slightly modified from the original Essential EAFM (E-EAFM) modules developed by the Coral Triangle Consortium.

Dr. Norasma Dacho of DOF Sabah, Associate Prof. Dr. Connie Fay Komilus of the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin in Terengganu, and Dr. Annadel Cabanban, CTI-SEA EAFM Specialist wrote the experience note. Two other issues on the EAFM sub projects in the Philippines and Indonesia will be prepared later in the year.

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Click here to see photos from the Essential EAFM Training

Click here to download the Experience Note