Complementing Science-based Strategies with Community-led Practices
©Maria Adityasari/Dok.PVI/Yogyakarta/2026
OVERVIEW
2026
Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN)’s Sustainable Fisheries Program strengthens small-scale fisheries through a Community-Based Fisheries Management approach. This approach places communities—particularly traditional and Indigenous fishers—at the center of fisheries planning, decision-making, and monitoring. It combines local knowledge, customary institutions, and scientific data to ensure the sustainability of marine resources within their managed areas.
In this context, the field scientists play an important role in building collaboration among various stakeholders, including fishers, local governments, customary authorities, and local communities, to ensure their meaningful participation in developing and implementing community-based fisheries management.
The three-day training, held from 7–9 January 2026, was delivered to 16 field technicians and coordinators working across the Fisheries Program sites in the Bird’s Head Seascape—Papua, Sumba, Kupang, Bali, and Teon Nila Serua—Maluku. The training concluded with each group developing an action plan for their respective areas of work, followed by its implementation in the field and on-line technical support from Photovoices.
GALLERY
HIGHLIGHTS
From Data Science to Community Engagement
The sixteen participants from YKAN’s Sustainable Fisheries Program come from scientific backgrounds and work primarily with field data. Through the Photovoices approach, they learned new ways to actively engage with communities by fostering critical dialogue, building trust, and developing effective facilitation techniques for working with communities, partners, and other stakeholders.
Through this process, participants learned strategies to gather community perspectives and better understand local needs—valuable insights that can inform the development of appropriate and sustainable fisheries management approaches in each area.
Honoring Voice
The principle of honoring voice, one of PVI’s core principles, was widely applied by participants when they returned to the field, helping them build relationships with partners, particularly fishers and local stakeholders.
During the post-training online technical assistance, participants reported that applying the principle of honoring voice helped them gather valuable feedback from fishers, providing initial insights into community perceptions and needs. Other participants also received unexpected information that helped them map local stakeholders and identify opportunities to integrate these insights into their programs.
Interactive and Adaptive
Given participants’ diverse levels of experience and understanding of community engagement approaches, some training sessions used simulations and role-play exercises based on real-life cases and stories from the field. This approach made the learning experience relevant and relatable to participants’ own experiences in their respective areas of work.
Understanding Safe and Ethical Practices for Communities and Field Teams
Through an introduction to PVI’s core principles, including safe and ethical practices, participants were encouraged to recognize potential risks to themselves and the communities they work with throughout the program.
During the training, participants identified the need to strengthen their understanding of sexual harassment and how to recognize and address related risks in the field. This knowledge helps equip participants with the tools to conduct a comprehensive risk assessments and ensure safer engagement with communities and among field teams.
Strengthening Community Engagement Skills
The introduction of the LIHAT+ or SHOW(ed) method, a key approach in participatory photography, encouraged participants to engage in active and in-depth discussions around photographs. Through this process, community members can develop their own awareness and understanding of conditions and situations they live with daily, creating a foundation for meaningful behavioral change.
For example, the method was applied during discussions with CODRS partner fishers in Rote Ndao Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Participants used a visual comparison of fish catches from 2016 and 2025, which clearly showed a decline in the size and quality of the catch. This process encouraged fishers to critically reflect on changes in fish stocks, fishing pressure, and the increasing number of vessels operating in the area. As a result, fishers expressed an initial commitment to adapting their fishing practices, including adjusting hook sizes and fishing locations.
Participants also strengthened their ability to map issues, helping them identify emerging concerns and establish priorities among the issues affecting a particular area.
PROJECT STAKEHOLDER
