Training presentation for fish conservation zone assessment guidebook

FCZ Assessment Guidebook
Final Training Workshop
Presented by:
Erin Loury | Communications Director
Sinsamout Ounboundisane | Company Director
Dana Lee | Fisheries Biologist

How do we know if
Fish Conservation Zones
are successful?

Workshop Goals
• Train participants in the process of assessing the
effectiveness of FCZs
• Introduce participants to the guidebook
“Guidelines for Assessing Fish Conservation Zones
in Lao PDR” and it’s accompanying field handbook
• Familiarize participants with selecting indicators
to measure FCZ effectiveness
• Familiarize participants with planning an FCZ
assessment

Workshop Overview
Day 1
1. Project Overview
2. Introduction to Assessments and
Selecting Indicators
3. Introduction to Governance
Indicators
4. Introduction to Socioeconomic
Indicators
5. Introduction to Ecological Indicators

Workshop Overview
Day 2
1. Review Indicators and Q&A
2. Planning an FCZ Assessment
3. Conducting an FCZ Assessment
4. Using the Results of an Assessment
5. Project Closing Ceremony
6. Field Trip to Sangthong District FCZs

Project Introduction
Developing Best Practices for
Evaluating Fish Conservation Zone
Effectiveness in Lao PDR

• Project Goals
• Develop a guidebook of best practices for assessing FCZs in
Lao PDR
• Build a network of Civil Society Organizations and fishery
co-management groups working with FCZs
• Donor Goals
• Funded by Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)
• Empowering civil society to conserve biodiversity
• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) = communities, NGOs,
universities, private companies
FCZ Guidebook Project Goals

What are FCZs?
• Fish Conservation Zones (FCZs) =
areas closed to some or all fishing
• Goals to protect fish populations,
livelihoods, food security
• Lao Fisheries Law (2009): Legal
framework for FCZ co-management
• Responsibility shared between
communities and local government
authorities

FCZ Status Report
• Total of 1,313 officially
recognized FCZs in Lao PDR
• A lot of effort to establish
FCZs across the country
• However, little effort to
assess and evaluate FCZs
• Are FCZs successful or
unsuccessful? Why or why
not?

Few Resources for Assessing
Freshwater Protected Areas
Guidelines for Fisheries Co-
management
(DLF & WWF 2009):
How to establish new FCZs.
How is Your MPA Doing?
(Pomeroy et al. 2004):
How to assess marine
protected areas

Filling the Gap: Assessment
Guidelines for Freshwater FCZs
• Guidance for answering
the question “Is this FCZ
successful?”
• 21 indicators (governance,
socioeconomic, and
ecological effectiveness)
• Steps for planning,
carrying out, and
communicating an FCZ
assessment

Three Project Phases from 2016-2019
• 2016: Create a draft guidebook
for FCZ assessments in Lao PDR
• 2017-2018: Test the guidebook
by at 3 FCZ sites
• Partnered with WWF and JVC
• 2018-2019: Refine, finalize, and
disseminate the guidebook

Field Testing the Guidebook
Ban Houaykhoualouang
Xayabouri Province – FISHBIO
Ban Konglor
Khammouane Province – WWF
Ban Kengmeaw
Savannakhet Province
JVC

Intended Benefits
• Determine which FCZ approaches are successful or
unsuccessful
• Use time and effort most effectively to manage FCZs
• Demonstrate value of FCZs to donors
• Improve communication and sharing lessons
learned among organizations involved with FCZs

Introduction to FCZ Assessments
Selecting Indicators of
FCZ Effectiveness

Fisheries
Management:
A Cycle That
Repeats12
3
4
5
6
7
FCZ Assessment =
Phases 4, 5, and 6
• Monitoring
• Evaluation
• Reporting}

Why Conduct Assessments?
• Identify FCZ strengths and
weaknesses: what is working
and what is not working?
• Can assess any kind of fisheries
management strategy.
• This guidebook focuses on
FCZs.

Two Guidebooks to Use Together
Full Guidebook
Detailed reference guide
Information on assessment indicators
and methods
Field Handbook
Simplified step-by-step guide
How to select indicators and conduct an
assessment

Participatory Process
• FCZs = community co-management, should have
active participation of the community
• Although assessments are technical, community
can participate in some way at every step

7 Steps of an FCZ Assessment
Monitoring: Collect Information for FCZ Assessment
Step 1: Identify FCZ goals and desired outcomes
Step 2: Select indicators
Step 3: Plan assessment and select methods
Step 4: Collect data

Evaluation: Analyze Assessment Results
Step 5: Analyze and evaluate assessment results

Reporting: Communicate and Disseminate Findings
Step 6: Communicate assessment findings
Step 7: Make management recommendations (if
needed)

• Before beginning an assessment, decide: What will
we measure and why?
• An assessment depends on the goals of the FCZ.
• What are the facilitating
organization's goals for the
FCZ?
• What are the community’s
goals for the FCZ?

Identifying Vision, Goals, and Indicators
• Vision/Goals: Why are we
establishing an FCZ to begin
with?
• Benefits/Desired
Outcomes: What do we
hope the FCZ can
accomplish?
• Indicators: What will we
measure to determine if the
FCZ is successful?

Three Categories of FCZ
Goals and Indicators
Ecological
Socio-economic
Governance

Desired Governance Goals:
• Effective management approach
• Community participation and
satisfaction
• Effective enforcement and compliance
Let’s walk through Table 3 in the Field Handbook to
explore example FCZ goals
Example Goals: What should the FCZ do?

Each goal can have several, more specific
desired outcomes or benefits
Governance Goal: Effective management approach
Example Desired Benefits/Outcomes:
• Effective management decisions
• Clear guidelines for FCZ regulations and penalties
• Clear community understanding of FCZ rules
• Enough funding and resources for management
and enforcement

Desired Socioeconomic Goals:
• Increase food security
• Enhance or sustain livelihoods
• Respect cultural values and practices
• Increase understanding and support
for conservation

Desired Ecological Goals:
• Protect individual species
• Protect or increase biodiversity
• Sustain aquatic resources
• Protect habitat

Step 2: Select indicators to measure
these goals and desired benefits
• Indicators are what you actually
measure in your assessment.
• Indicators tell you whether you
are achieving your desired goal or
benefit.
• The indicators you select should
depend on the goals and desired
benefits of the FCZ.

• Every FCZ assessment will be
different – there is no single
correct way to do an FCZ
assessment.
• FCZ assessments can answer
many types of questions. You
need to decide which questions
are most important and relevant
to you.

On Selecting Indicators
• Assessments don’t need to measure every indicator
• Only choose the indicators that are the best fit for
your FCZ
• Some indicators are easier to measure than others

On Measuring Indicators
• A single indicator is not very informative
• Measuring multiple indicators helps paint a
picture of what is happening at the FCZ
• Indicators are most informative when
measured over time to see how they change.

• The FCZ Guidebook is a starting
point.
• You don’t need to measure all of
the indicators in the book, just the
ones that are most relevant
• There may be other indicators that
are not in this guidebook
• It is helpful to include a mix of
governance, socioeconomic, and
ecological indicators

Introduction to the Full Guidebook:
• A reference to use for guidance during an FCZ
assessment.
• For each indicator, the guidebook includes:
• General considerations for data collection
• Example methods
• Examples of how to interpret results
• References
• A starting point
• Not meant to be comprehensive
• Indicators identified at a
stakeholder workshop in 2016

Introduction to the Governance Indicators
• Governance relates to all aspects of making
decisions and carrying out management
actions for the FCZ
• It is a good starting point for FCZ assessments

Desired Governance Goals:
• Effective management approach
• Community participation and
satisfaction
• Effective enforcement and compliance
Table 3 in the Field Handbook or Table 2 in the
Guidebook

Governance Goal:
Effective management approach
• Effective management decisions
• Clear guidelines for FCZ regulations and penalties
• Clear community understanding of FCZ rules
• Enough funding and resources for management
and enforcement

Governance Goal:
Community participation and satisfaction
• Community members participate in FCZ
management
• Community members accept and support the FCZ
regulations and management

Governance Goal:
Effective enforcement and compliance
• Community members actively participate in and
support FCZ enforcement
• Good compliance with FCZ regulations
• Effective patrolling and monitoring of FCZs
• Effective enforcement when regulations are
violated

Exercise (5 minutes)
Take a few minutes and think about an FCZ you are
familiar with:
• What are some of the FCZs governance goals or
desired benefits?
• Or, which governance goals/benefits do you think are
most important to that FCZ?
Write these down, then discuss with your neighbor.

What indicators can we measure to
determine whether these goals
and benefits are being achieved?

Introduction to the Governance Indicators
• G1: Existence of an active management committee
• G2: Existence and adoption of a management plan
• G3: Local understanding of FCZ rules and regulations
• G4: Availability and use of FCZ administrative resources
• G5: Level of community participation and satisfaction
in management
• G6: Clear enforcement procedures and level of
patrolling effort
• G7: Level of compliance with FCZ regulations

Indicator G1: Existence of an Active
Management Committee
• Looks at who is responsible for making decisions
about FCZ management
• Having a recognized management body can make
sure management of the FCZ stays active
• Examples methods:
• Interview members of the
management committee
• Observe a management
meeting

Indicator G1: Existence of an Active
Management Committee
Methods – Example Questions:
• Who is part of the committee?
What are their roles?
• How often do they meet?
• What kinds of decisions are
made? How are they made?

Indicator G2: Existence and Adoption
of a Management Plan
• Looks for a document that recognizes the authority
of the FCZ, and describes its purpose, goals, rules
and regulations, and roles and responsibilities.
• Provides an agreed-upon reference and legal basis
for management
• Example methods:
• Use a checklist to review
the written management
plan for completeness
• Interview the
management committee

Indicator G2: Existence and Adoption
of a Management Plan
• Who has approved the plan?
• How complete is the management plan?
• Does it include:
Goals/Purpose
Roles and responsibilities
Regulations
Penalties
Enforcement plans/protocols
Budget or financial plan
Guidelines for reviewing management
effectiveness

Indicator G3: Local Understanding of FCZ
Rules and Regulations
• Looks at how familiar community members are
with FCZ purpose and regulations
• People are more likely to comply with the rules if
they understand them
• Interviews with a diversity
of community members
(in the village and
neighboring villages)

Indicator G3: Local Understanding of FCZ
Rules and Regulations
Methods: Example Questions for Community Members
• Have you heard of the FCZ in your village?
• What is the goal or purpose of the FCZ?
• What are the rules and regulations of the FCZ?
• What penalties will people face if they break the rules?
• How difficult are the regulations to understand?
• Do you think the regulations are fair/acceptable?

Indicator G4: Availability and Use of FCZ
Administrative Resources
• Looks at whether there is enough funding,
materials, equipment and personnel to manage the
FCZ, and how these resources are used
• FCZ management is an active, ongoing process that
requires resources
• Conduct interviews with key groups
(management committee, enforcement team)
• Review key documents
• Make an inventory of equipment/resources

Methods – Example Questions
Funding:
• How much funding is needed for
FCZ management?
• How much is available?
Signs:
• How many FCZ signs are there?
• Are they visible?
• Do they need fixing?

Equipment:
• How much equipment does the
enforcement team have?
• Is it in good condition?
Personnel:
• How many people are involved with
FCZ enforcement and management?
• How many are volunteers?

• Looks at 1) whether community members
participate in FCZ management and 2) whether
they support or agree with FCZ management
• People are more likely to follow the rules of the FCZ
if they feel a sense of ownership and satisfaction
• Interview a diversity of members in the
community.
• Observe community participation in
meetings or FCZ patrols
Indicator G5: Level of Community Participation
and Satisfaction in Management

Participation:
• How do different groups of the community
participate in FCZ management?
• Are some groups not represented in FCZ
management?

Methods – Example Questions to Ask Stakeholders:
Satisfaction:
• How satisfied are you about FCZ management?
• What would you like to change about FCZ
management?

• Looks at FCZ enforcement protocols and practices
• frequency of patrolling, amount of area covered,
amount of time spent patrolling, and procedures for
apprehending/fining violators
• Enforcement can prevent people from breaking the
rules of the FCZ
• Interview members of the
enforcement team
• Review patrol records
• Interview fishers
• Observe patrol activities
Indicator G6: Clear Enforcement
Procedures and Level of Patrolling Effort

1. How frequently are patrols conducted?
2. How many hours are spent during each
patrol?
3. Where and how is patrolling completed?
4. How much of the FCZ area is covered during
a patrol?
5. Is there a procedure for confronting and
apprehending violators?

• Looks at to what extent people are complying with
or violating the FCZ regulations.
• FCZs can only protect fish populations if people
follow the rules of the FCZ and do not fish there.
• Conduct interviews with
members of the
community and the
enforcement team.
• Review patrol records
Indicator G7: Level of compliance with
FCZ regulations

• Methods – Example Questions:
• In general, how many people violate the rules of
the FCZ?
• How frequently do people violate the rules of the
FCZ?
• Is there a time of year (season) when there are
more violations?
• How many violators have been given warnings?
How many have been made to pay fines?
Indicator G7: Level of compliance with
FCZ regulations

Group Exercise: Selecting Indicators
Example 1.1: A community wants to know if enforcement
efforts are working in the FCZ to apprehend violators.
Example 1.2: An FCZ management committee wants to
know if villagers are satisfied with the FCZ regulations and
management.
Example 1.3: A donor wants to know how their funding is
being used to support management of the FCZ.

Introduction to the Socioeconomic Indicators
Socioeconomic goals and indicators
relate to social and economic factors in
human communities.

Desired Socioeconomic Goals:
• Increase food security
• Enhance or sustain livelihoods
• Respect cultural values and practices
• Increase understanding and support
for conservation
Guidebook

• The community can catch more fish
• The community has more fish to eat
• The FCZ supports community
livelihoods
Socioeconomic Goal:
Enhance food security and livelihoods

• The FCZ does not negatively affect
traditional practices, relationships or
social systems.
• Maintain/increase respect for and
observance of traditional beliefs and
practices
Socioeconomic Goal:
Respect cultural values and practices

• Increase environmental awareness and
knowledge
• Promote ecotourism
Socioeconomic Goal: Increase understanding
and support for conservation

familiar with:
• What are some of the FCZs socioeconomic goals or
desired benefits?
• Or, which socioeconomic goals/benefits do you think
are most important to that FCZ?

Introduction to the Socioeconomic Indicators
• S1: Local fishing patterns and practices
• S2: Perceptions of local fish catch
• S3: Patterns of household fish consumption
• S4: Perception of benefits derived from the FCZ
• S5: Household income/effort distribution by source
• S6: Local values and beliefs about aquatic resources
• S7: Level of environmental awareness and
understanding of conservation

Indicator S1: Local Fishing Patterns
and Practices
• Looks at patterns in the ways people catch fish or
other aquatic resources.
• Has the FCZ changed the way that people fish? How
can FCZ management accommodate the
community’s fishing needs?
• Interview fishers and
other community
members
• Observe fishing
practices

Indicator S1: Local Fishing Patterns
and Practices
• What types of aquatic resources are being
harvested? With what methods?
• Who is fishing? Where are they fishing? When are
they fishing?
• What species are they catching?
• What are other ways that people use the
river/stream?
• How might FCZ establishment have affected fishing
activities?

Indicator S2: Perceptions of
Local Fish Catch
• Interview a diversity of
fishers
• Measures what fishers think about their current
fish catches, and how catches have changed over
time.
• People’s perceptions of their fish catch can relate
to their perceptions of whether the FCZ is
successful.

Indicator S2: Perceptions of
Local Fish Catch
Methods – Example questions
• Since the FCZ was established, has your total catch
(or fishing effort, or size of fish):
• Increased a lot
• Increased a little
• Stayed the same
• Decreased a little
• Decreased a lot
• If changes have occurred in your fishing catch (or
effort, or fish size), why do you think this is?

Indicator S3: Patterns of
Household Fish Consumption
• Looks at how much wild-caught fish people are
eating in the community and how frequently they
are eating it.
• FCZs are often established to provide more fish for
people to eat, but they may initially result in fewer
fish to eat because of the fishing restrictions.
• Interview individuals or households

Indicator S3: Patterns of
Household Fish Consumption
• How many days per week on average
do you eat wild-caught fish?
• How many days per week on average
do you eat farmed fish?
• Where do you obtain wild-caught fish
for consumption?
• Do you feel the FCZ is having an
effect on the amount of fish available
for consumption in the community?
Why?

Indicator S4: Perception of benefits
derived from the FCZ
• Looks at whether community members feel the FCZ
has had a positive or negative impact on their lives,
and whether they have benefited from the FCZ in
some way.
• People are more likely to support the management of
an FCZ if they feel they have benefited from it.
• Example Methods:
• Interview individuals or
households

• What benefits have you personally experienced
as a result of the FCZ?
• What negative impacts have you personally
experienced as a result of the FCZ?
• Do you think the FCZ has provided you more fish
to eat?
• Do you think the FCZ has provided you with
more income?

Indicator S5: Household Income/Effort
Distribution by Source
• Measures the primary livelihood activities and
sources of income for local households
• FCZs might provide a source of income to
communities such as ecotourism or increased
fishing catches.
• Household interviews

Indicator S5: Household Income/Effort
Distribution by Source
Methods – Example Question:
• What are all the livelihood activities in your
household?
• Are any activities associated with the FCZ?
• How much does each activity contribute to your
income (or effort spent)?
• Has income (or effort spent) from your livelihood
activities changed since the FCZ was established? If
yes, how?

Indicator S6: Local Values and Beliefs
about Aquatic Resources
• Measures how local values and beliefs may shape
how people view or interact with the river/aquatic
environment
• Values and beliefs may influence where, when, how,
and why people fish or do not fish. Is FCZ
management compatible with local values and
beliefs?
• Interviews with households
• Interviews with cultural or
spiritual leaders

Indicator S6: Local Values and Beliefs
about Aquatic Resources
• Why is the river/aquatic species/fishing
culturally important to you?
• Are there traditional practices related to aquatic
habitats or species?
• Are there cultural beliefs or traditions that
influence your fishing practices?
• Is protecting the aquatic environment in the FCZ
culturally important to you?

• This indicator measures understanding of how
human actions can harm or help the
environment.
• Understanding the environmental impact of their
actions can motivate people to change their
behavior, which can be one of the goals of an FCZ.
Indicator S7: Level of Environmental Awareness
and Understanding of Conservation
• Interviews with households,
individuals or focal groups

Indicator S7: Level of environmental awareness
and understanding of conservation
Methods: Example Questions:
• What activities, events, or changes are
negatively impacting the aquatic environment
in your community?
• What could be done to reduce these threats?
• What threats does the FCZ help address?
• What will happen to fish populations if we
harvest too many fish?

Group Exercise: Selecting Indicators
• Example 2.1: A facilitating organization wants to know
whether the FCZ is helping to support the food security
of the community.
• Example 2.2: An FCZ management committee wants to
know whether the FCZ is helping to support
community livelihoods related to ecotourism.
• Example 2.3: A community wants to know if the FCZ is
helping their children learn about conservation of
natural resources and environmental sustainability.

Introduction to the Ecological Indicators
• Ecology refers to the relationships between
animals, plants, and their environment.
• Many of the Ecological Indicators focus on
fish or other aquatic species.

Desired Ecological Goals:
• Protect individual species
• Protect or increase biodiversity (or
“all fishes”)
• Protect the aquatic environment
Guidebook

Ecological Goal:
Protect individual species
Example Desired Benefits/Outcomes
• Increase the abundance of a particular key
species

Ecological Goal:
Protect biodiversity (or “all fishes”)
• Increase total abundance of all fishes (or Other
Aquatic Animals)
• Protect or increase the biodiversity of aquatic
species

Ecological Goal:
Protect the aquatic environment
• Protect important habitats inside the FCZ (such
as spawning habitat, deep pools, etc.)

familiar with:
• What are some of the FCZ’s ecological goals or desired
benefits?
• Or, which ecological goals/benefits do you think are
most important to that FCZ?

Introduction to the Ecological Indicators
• E1a: Presence/absence of a key species
• E1b: Abundance of a key species
• E2: Population structure of a key species
• E3: Total abundance by group (such as “fishes”)
• E4: Composition and structure of the aquatic
community
• E5: Total catch per unit of fishing effort
• E6: Water quality
• E7: Habitat distribution and quality

Fishery-Dependent vs. Fishery-Independent
• Fishery-dependent sampling collects data on based on
fishers regular fishing activities (logbook programs,
fish-catch monitoring)
• Fishery-independent sampling collects data in a
standardized way that is separate from regular fishing
activity (scientific sampling)

Direct vs. Indirect Sampling
Direct sampling: Collecting data for an indicator through
first-hand surveys or observations
• Weighing the amount of fish caught per day
• Observing the number of boats fishing per day
Indirect sampling: Collecting data for an indicator by
asking people to report it from their experience or
memory
• Interviewing fishers to ask how much fish they catch per day
• Interviewing community members about how many boats
fish per day

How to measure the ecological changes from
an FCZ on fish populations?
• Helpful to have data from before the FCZ was
established
• Can compare fish populations before and after FCZ
establishment
• Alternatively, can compare fish populations in the
protected area (inside the FCZ) to those in an
unprotected area (outside the FCZ).
• This requires choosing a “control site” or “reference
site” to compare to the FCZ.

Control or Reference Sites
• A “control site” or “reference site” should be in a
similar habitat as the FCZ, and far enough away that it
is not influenced by the FCZ regulations
• The only major difference between the sites should be
that the FCZ prohibits fishing, while the control site
allows fishing.
• This allows you to “control” for the effect of fishing to
see how fish populations differ at sites with and
without fishing
• Comparing to a control site is important for
understanding whether an FCZ is working.

Indicator E1a: Presence/absence
of a key species
• A key species is any species of interest related to
the FCZ
• This indicator looks at whether the species is
found in the FCZ at least part of the year
(presence)
• If an FCZ was established to help a particular
species, it is important to know whether that
species actually uses the habitat in the FCZ (is the
FCZ protecting the correct location?)
• Fishery-independent sampling to detect the
presence of the species

Indicator E1b: Abundance
of a Key Species
• Looks at “how many” there are of a key species by
number (numerical abundance) or weight
(biomass)
• Looks at whether the FCZ is helping to increase
the population of a key species.
• Fishery-independent sampling to measure the
relative abundance of a species.
• Surveys of abundance will automatically
provide information on presence/absence

Indicator E1b: Abundance
of a Key Species
• Example Method:
• Use nets or traps to survey fish in a fisheries-
independent survey in the FCZ and control site
• Important to record the survey “effort” or time spent
fishing
• Abundance is reported as Catch Per Unit of Effort
(CPUE), such as “kg of fish per hour of fishing per net”
or “number of fish per hour of fishing per trap”
• One survey is not enough: repeat surveys throughout
the season or in different seasons to get an average
abundance

Indicator E2: Population Structure
of a Key Species
• Describes the size or age composition of a fish
population. How many individuals are there of
different sizes or ages?
• Can help determine how many fish are able to
reproduce and sustain the population.
• Fishery-independent surveys
with multiple types or sizes of
gear to catch both juveniles
and adults of the species.

of a Key Species
Example methods – Percentage of “large” individuals:
• Determine a “cut-off” length for a “large”
individual of the species.
• “Cut-off” length could be the size of reproductive
maturity
• Mark a measuring stick to show the “cut-off”
length
• Count the number of fish caught in the survey that
are smaller or larger than the “cut-off” length

of a Key Species
Example methods – Length frequency distribution:
• Measure the length (or weight) each individual of
the species caught
• Graph how many individuals are found of each
length

Indicator E3: Total Abundance by Group
(such as “all fishes”)
• Measures the abundance of a group ( “all fish,”
“all invertebrates,” “all catfishes,” etc.) by
number or weight
• Can help answer the question “Are there more
fish in the FCZ?,” which is useful to know for
food security
Fishery-independent sampling
to measure the relative
abundance of all fish

Similar methods for Indicators E1b (one
fish species) and E3 (all fish species)
• E1b: Only count or weigh fish from the species
of interest
• E3: Count or weigh all fish species combined
• Compare the number or weight of fish caught
per hour of fishing inside the FCZ compared to
the control site.

Indicator E4: Composition and structure
of the aquatic community
• A measure of biodiversity, or the number and
type of all living things in a specific area.
• Protecting or increasing biodiversity is often a
goal of conservation. High biodiversity can be a
sign of healthy environment.
• Sampling species with a large
diversity of methods
• Interviewing community
members about species found

Indicator E4: Composition and structure
of the aquatic community
Example Methods:
Species richness: Total number of species in the
aquatic community
• Native fish species richness, macroinvertebrate
species richness
Evenness: Measure of how equally represented
different species are in the aquatic community
Dominance: Measure of whether some species
are more abundant than others

Indicator E5: Total Catch Per unit of
Fishing Effort
• A fishery-dependent measure of fish abundance.
Measures the amount of fish that fishers catch per
amount of time spent fishing.
• Many FCZs are established with the hope that
increasing fish abundance inside the FCZ will “spill
over” to benefit fish catches outside the FCZ.
• Fisher interview
surveys (creel surveys)
• Fisher logbooks

Indicator E5: Total Catch Per unit of
Fishing Effort
Example methods:
• Fisher interview surveys (creel surveys): Collect
data from fishers that bring their catch to a landing
site. Measure and weigh their catch.
• Fisher logbooks: Train fishers to collect data on
their own fishing catch
• These surveys require commitment and generate a
lot of data. There should be a plan for organizing
and analyzing these data before beginning.

Indicator E6: Water Quality
• Measures conditions of the water that may
influence animals and plants inside the FCZ
• This indicator can be used to understand factors
other than the FCZ that might affect aquatic species
• Observations and basic
measurements
• Macroinvertebrate
monitoring
(bioindicators)

Indicator E6: Water Quality
Example methods:
• Observations and basic measurements
• Odors, surface oils, temperature, stage height
(water level), clarity
• Macroinvertebrate monitoring (bioindicators)
• Protocols from The Asia Foundation
• Tolerance of macroinvertebrate species provides
an indicator of water quality

Indicator E7: Habitat Distribution
and Quality
• Measures aspects of the physical environment where
fish live, such as rocks, sand, pools, rapids, and plants.
• FCZs may protect important habitats, such as
spawning areas or deep pool refuges. Are these
habitats of good quality?
• Observations
• Stream cross-section
• Substrate survey

Indicator E7: Habitat Distribution
and Quality
Example methods:
• Observational data: Land use near
the river, river bank erosion,
presence of vegetation, visible
trash, water odors, water surface
appearance
• River cross section: Measure river
depth across a transect
• Substrate survey: Measure the
size of rocks on the river bottom
across a transect

• Example 3.1: A donor wants to know if the FCZ is
helping to increase the abundance of an
endangered fish species.
• Example 3.2: A community wants to know if the
FCZ has helped increase the abundance of all fish
species and fisher catches.
• Example 3.3: A facilitating organization wants to
know if the FCZ is successful in protecting spawning
habitat for a key fish species.
Group Exercise: Indicator Selection

• This indicator reflects the amount of effort spent in
patrolling and enforcing the FCZ.
• It can describe the the amount of area covered, the
amount of time spent patrolling, or the frequency of
patrolling
• Conduct interviews with the
enforcement team.
• Make direct observations of
enforcement team activities.

• Methods: Can ask questions such as:
1. How frequently are patrols conducted?
2. How many hours are spent during each
patrol?
3. Where and how is patrolling completed?
4. How much of the FCZ area is covered
during a patrol?
5. How many violations have been
observed doing patrols?
6. How many violators have been
apprehended during patrols?

• Analysis: Can draw a map that shows the area
patrolled, and any variations in patrolling patterns.

Violation Ratio: G6 and G7
• Analysis: Can calculate a violation ratio by dividing
the number of violations encountered by the
number of hours spent patrolling.
• Ex: 5 violations/80 hours of patrolling
= 0.0625 violations/hours of patrolling
• Ex: 2 violations/100 hours of patrolling
= 0.02 violations/hours of patrolling
• You can track changes in the violation ratio over
time to see if it is increasing or decreasing

1. Is the enforcement coverage
enough to discourage or catch
violators?
2. Is it possible that illegal fishers
could be avoiding patrols?
3. Has there been any change in
the frequency or duration of
patrols over time?
4. Has there been a change in the
violation ratio over time?
5. Are there recommendations to
improve enforcement coverage?
Some Questions to Consider:

• This indicator looks at whether
community members feel the FCZ
has had a positive or negative
impact on their lives, and whether
they have benefited from the FCZ in
some way.
• Benefits could include food, income,
or others.
• Conduct interview surveys with
individuals or households

Example open-answer questions (semi-structured interview):
1. What benefits have you personally experienced as a
result of the FCZ? (Please list them all)
2. What negative impacts have you personally experienced
as a result of the FCZ? (Please list them all)
3. Do you think the community has generally benefited or
suffered as a result of the FCZ? Why or why not?
4. Do you think the benefits or impacts from the FCZ have
been experienced equally by the community? Why or
why not?

Example of closed-question survey:
1. Do you think the FCZ has provided you more fish
to eat? (Yes or No)
2. How do you think your access to fish for eating
has changed as a result of the FCZ?
1. Increased a lot
2. Increased a little
3. Stayed the same
4. Decreased a little
5. Decreased a lot
6. I don’t know/don’t have an opinion

Analysis: You can graph the results of your surveys or list
the answers in tables.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Food Income
PercentofRespondents
Has the FCZ benefited you in terms of
food or income?
Yes No
FCZ changes to
Food
FCZ Changes
to Income
Increased a lot 20% 5%
Increased a little 35% 20%
Stayed the same 35% 50%
Decreased a little 10% 15%
Decreased a lot 0% 10%
Total 100% 100%

Questions to Consider:
1. Are members of the community generally feeling
benefits or negative impacts from the FCZ, or
neither?
2. Are certain members/groups of the community
feeling the benefits or negative impacts more
than others?
3. Are there recommendations that can be made to
make the benefits of the FCZ more widespread or
equitable?

• This indicator measures the abundance
of a particular group (such as “all fish,”
“all invertebrates,” “all catfishes,” etc.)
• This can help answer the question “Are
there more fish in the FCZ?”
• Abundance can be numeric abundance
(counts) or biomass (weight)
• Useful if you are concerned about
overall fish abundance (food security
perspective), and not as concerned
about individual fish species.

General considerations:
• This indicator requires selecting a reference or control
site to compare to the FCZ.
• Sampling can be:
• fisheries-dependent sampling: collect data based on
fishermen’s regular harvest
• Fisheries-independent sampling: using standardized
sampling gear to collect data for research that is separate
from regular fishing.
• For fisheries-independent sampling, the same gear type
should be used each time the survey is completed.

• How much to sample will depend on many factors, such as:
The size of the FCZ, the gear type used, the diversity of the
fish in the river etc.
• When sampling inside the FCZ,
take care to reduce fish mortality
and release fish in good
condition.
• This can mean setting the gear
for a short amount of time and
checking it frequently.

Example methods:
• Use nets or traps to measure Catch Per Unit Effort
of all fishes (# of kg of fish / hour of fishing time)
• Conduct fisher interviews about their relative fish
catch outside the FCZ.

Analysis:
• Can graph the abundance data over time to examine trends
inside and outside the FCZ
2.5
3.5
4.3
2.4
2.8
1.8
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
CPUE(KgofFish/TrapHour)
Total Fish Abundance
FCZ REFERENCE
Questions to Consider:
• Is there a trend in
abundance in the FCZ
or in the control site
(increasing or
decreasing?)
• Is the trend inside the
FCZ similar to the
trend outside the
FCZ?

Additional Indicators in Appendix 1
• Level of resource conflict
• Existence and adequacy of
enabling legislation
• Information dissemination
• Fair allocation of access rights
• Equal distribution of FCZ effects

• Gender balance in management
• Material style of life
• Community infrastructure and
business
• Number and nature of markets
• Quality of human health
• Distribution of local ecological
knowledge

• Food web integrity
• Recruitment success within
the community
• Area showing signs of
recovery
• Area under no or reduced
human impact

Monitoring:
Step 2: Select indicators
Step 3: Plan assessment and select methods
Step 4: Collect data
Evaluation:
Step 5: Analyze and evaluate assessment results
Reporting:
Step 6: Communicate assessment findings
Step 7: Make management recommendations (if
needed)

Step 3: Plan the assessment and select
methods
• Important to have a plan
(in writing) before
beginning the assessment
• Save the plan for future
reference when you repeat
the assessment.
• Assessments should ideally be part of long-
term monitoring that repeats over time
• Data has to be consistently collected in the
same way to compare year to year

methods
Parts of an FCZ assessment plan
1. Who will be involved?
2. What will you measure? With
what methods?
3. Where will you survey?
4. When will you survey?
5. Why are you collecting the data?
6. How will you manage the data?

methods
1. Who is Involved? Identify the Assessment Team
• Who will conduct the assessment? (Community,
CSO, Government staff?)
• What is each person’s role(s) and responsibilities?
• Roles could include: designing the assessment,
coordinating with the community, collecting data,
analyzing data, communicating results.

methods
2. What Will You Measure? With What Methods?
• Often multiple ways to measure an indicator
• Some methods are more difficult than others
• Select methods depending on available resources,
equipment, training, etc.
• Some guidance on methods
for each indicator provided
in the Full FCZ Guidebook.
• May need to consult a
technical expert for advice

methods
3. When Will You Collect Data? Assessment Schedule
• How frequently should you collect data for each
indicator and method in your assessment? (every
day, month, year, etc.?)
• May need to collect data in multiple seasons

methods
4. Where Will You Collect Data?
• Can you sample inside the
FCZ?
• If not, can you sample just
outside the FCZ to represent
“inside”?
• Most FCZ assessments require
a reference site outside the
FCZ for comparison
• Similar habitat as the FCZ
• Not too close to FCZ

methods
5. What Resources Do You Need?
• Make an equipment checklist
for all the supplies you will need
• Make a budget for the
assessment. Do you have
enough funding, or need to seek
more?
• Does your team have skills and
capacity to conduct the required
methods, or do you need
additional training/support?

methods
6. How Will You Manage the Data?
• How will your field data sheets
be collected and checked for
accuracy?
• Do you have a database to
store your data? (Microsoft
Access, Excel, etc.) Is it backed
up?
• Who will enter the data into
the database and check it for
Quality Assurance?

Step 4: Collect data for the assessment
• Data might include: observations, interview
surveys, questionnaires, or scientific measurements
in the field
• Data should be written down, and entered in a
computer database for analysis
• Data can be collected regularly to look at trends
over time

Best Practices for Interview Surveys
• Respect all community members
• Keep responses confidential and
if possible anonymous
• Clearly state the purpose of the
assessment
• Recognize and reduce biases of
the assessment team
• Address gender issues
• Address language differences

Best Practices for Interview Surveys
• Take detailed notes:
• What people say
• How they say it
• Cross-check the data: compare data collected in
different ways for the same indicator
• For enforcement indicators:
1) Interview the enforcement team
2) Observe the enforcement team procedures
3) Review enforcement protocols or other
written document

Step 4: Collect data for the assessment
• Assessment team should communicate regularly
during the assessment
• Will need to address challenges that arise
• Record any changes to the assessment plan for
future reference
• Review the strengths and weaknesses after the
assessment

Step 5: Analyze and Evaluate Results
• Data can be summarized in tables, charts, or graphs
• You may need to consult with a technical expert for
statistical data analysis and interpretation
• Some guidance on data analysis is provided in the
Full FCZ Guidebook
• Are there differences inside
and outside the FCZ?
• Are certain factors increasing
or decreasing over time?

Step 5: Analyze and Evaluate Results
• What do the results tell you
about the FCZ’s
performance?
• Are there differences inside
and outside the FCZ?
• Valuable to collect data over
time to look at changes
• Are certain factors
increasing or decreasing
over time?

Step 6: Communicate Assessment
Findings
• Share results with the
community, especially
fisheries management
committee
• Share results with
DAFO/PAFO officials, donors,
and other organizations
• Workshops, reports, fliers,
videos, etc.
• Seek community input on
next steps for FCZ
management

Step 7: Make Recommendations for FCZ
Management
• If the community is satisfied with the performance
of the FCZ after the assessment is conducted, there
may be no need to change FCZ management.
• However, if the assessment identified any FCZ
weaknesses, the assessment team can recommend
actions to improve these weaknesses.

Step 7: Make Recommendations for FCZ
Management
• For example: the assessment finds a low level of
compliance with FCZ regulations
• Potential
recommendations:
• more signs
• increased patrolling
• increased outreach to
community members,
etc.

Share Your Experience:
Mekong Fish Network
• Resource for organizations and
individuals working on fish and
fisheries in the Mekong Basin
• Goals of improving
• Communication
• Capacity building
• Collaboration

www.mekongfishnetwork.org
• Website
• Blog posts
• Project descriptions
• Photos and video
• Publications
• Email newsletter (can
subscribe online)

Please Share Your FCZ Stories!
• Share your projects
and working on Fish
Conservation Zones
• Help others learn
from your
experiences!

Please Stay In Touch – Thank You!
Email
• fishbiolaos@fishbio.com
• sinsamout@fishbio.com
• erinloury@fishbio.com
Websites
www.fishbio.com
www.mekongfishnetwork.org

Training presentation for fish conservation zone assessment guidebook

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