A proposed Masters degree in oceanic fisheries management ( UoW & SPC)

1. A proposed Masters degree in oceanic fisheries management ( UoW & SPC) A presentation by Professor Alistair McIlgorm

2. Background - SPC • SPC Stock Assessment Workshops The OFP-SPC runs annual regional tuna stock assessment workshops for fisheries officers from its member countries and territories, at its headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia.

3. Annual SPC stock assessment and data management workshops

4. The proposed program • Multi-disciplinary research, education & high level advice on national & international oceans governance & law, maritime security & co-operation & ocean resource management to countries, agencies & clients in the western Pacific, Indian Ocean & Southern Ocean region & beyond, in order to help them achieve sustainable benefits from marine jurisdictions

5. ANCORS, UoW have a range of courses

6. ANCORS course offerings Currently has 20+ postgraduate PhD and master s research students In 2010 ANCORS offered a new Masters in Fisheries Policy in taught delivery mode. This has appeal to domestic and overseas students (8 enrolments in 2011); Discussions (Prof. Tsamenyi & John Hampton) indicated this base could be built on. The current units in the Masters Fisheries Policy are shown below:

7. The Vision- Developing ocean fishery managers • The vision • A key recommendation of the 2009 review of the SPC’s Marine Resources Division (now Division FAME) was that SPC should facilitate longer-term capacity building opportunities for members, and a recommendation from the 2009 Heads of Fisheries meeting “to seek ways of providing academic accreditation to several of the regular short courses/workshops that SPC conducts”. • Our vision is to create a postgraduate degree programme that brings together the capacity building efforts of SPC, and FFA, along with the expertise of UoW in fisheries policy and law.

8. The Vision- Developing ocean fishery managers • The degree would be intended to provide Pacific Islanders who work, or aspire to work in oceanic/tuna fisheries management in the Pacific, a broad set of skills that would prepare them for dealing with management issues across a wide range of disciplines that are crucial for the management of these fisheries in the Pacific. • For who? The students would be either from universities, including those in the region offering undergraduate fisheries training (USP, UPNG, Uni. Vudal), or staff from Pacific fisheries departments, regional agencies . The joint program would have the following units.

9. Masters (UoW and SPC) with oceanic fisheries management pathway

10. Benefits of the jointly delivered program. • Master Fisheries Policy 6 CMP (existing); SPC involved in delivery of 1/2 units; • Completing units can count towards either a Graduate certificate (4 units), Graduate diploma (4 units + project) or the Masters degree (8 units including a project); • This structure enables students to study to as a high a level as they desire, given they will often be from the workplace and be juggling social and family commitments; • Envisaged that those currently attending the SPC short courses, Pacific Fisheries Department and regional organisation staff would be course participants.  • FFA staff are also able to contribute as guest lecturers and could plan for this involvement in their work/travel plans.

11. Consultation and discussion • This is a suitable taught postgraduate training option for the PIs.  • We have discussed the proposal with the SPC and FFA and are now seeking feedback from the Pacific HoF meeting. • The proposal comes with some economies, as the existing UoW Masters in Fisheries Policy would be enlarged to include the current SPC stock assessment short course. • The proposed Masters program will be available in 2012 as it builds on UoW investment in current Master Fisheries Policy.

12. Funding and releasing students • A Pacific Island student needs an AUSAID (or other) scholarship for fees, airfares and living expenses for one year in Australia. Can Pacific Island fisheries staff easily access such competitive funds? • Discussion with FFA raised issues in releasing staff for a year of “leave without pay”, suggesting a six month period (Jan-June) studying in Australia, then six months with their national WPCFC delegation in the Pacific as “professional experience” and then return for the second six month of studies in Australia. • Additional support for those in the workplace, may involve additional costs above normal scholarship allowances. Fisheries Agencies need to seek ways to support the cost of staff development.

13. Feedback issues • We seek“in principle agreement” of the meeting that this joint UoW/SPC initiative is suited to supply Pacific Island Fisheries agencies with suitably trained staff. • Pacific Island Fisheries Agencies need to assess whether the general AUSAID scholarship scheme is adequate to meet the need i.e. Are there scholarship places available for fishery students given other sectors compete for scholarships at the national level? • Are fisheries agencies aware of other external funding sources that can be used to support potential students in capacity development? For example, trust funds, sponsorships and project funds earmarked for capacity development. (Is there a need to develop specific capacity development projects to promote more relevant professional staff development for the fisheries management area? ) • We assume the HoF meeting would like to be the reference point for feedback from the UoW-SPC initiative?

14. Thankyou • To the Heads of Fisheries meeting; • Mike Batty and SPC for hosting. • Dr John Hampton (SPC), James Movick FFA, and Prof. Martin Tsamenyi (UoW). • P.S. I look forward to informal discussions with PICs on capacity building needs.