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  IUCN 14 Aug 06
IUCN report recommends building capacity for better management, monitoring and law enforcement to maintain populations of humphead wrasse in Indonesia

As part of an IUCN project in collaboration with CITES and the IUCN SSC Specialist Group for Groupers & Wrasses, and input from TRAFFIC--Southeast Asia, a report has been released with a list of recommendations for the development of fisheries management tools for sustainable management and trade in humphead wrasse (HHW).

Following a dramatic decline in its population across its geographical range, largely due to demand for juvenile specimens for the international live food-fish trade, some countries have taken steps to avert its disappearance from the wild.

Indonesia, its major exporting country, has reduced by tenfold its export quota to an interim measure (pending more scientific data) of 8,000 fish per year, whilst Hong Kong, a major export market, plans to introduce legislation even more restrictive than that of CITES.

Improved policy and regulatory measures, and a substantial increase in enforcement capability, are needed in greater measure, however, to improve the prospects for this majestic fish in Indonesia, the major exporter of HHW.

The report recommends, for instance, the creation of a central permitting authority for the monitoring and issuing of export permits for HHW. Greater levels of cooperation and communication need to be established not only between government fisheries departments, police and customs, but also between NGOs, IGOs, universities, fishing communities and the government in order to provide a balanced and integrated approach for reducing the pressure of fishing activity on HHW populations.

A lack of capacity remains a major obstacle to good management.

Efforts are further challenged by a lack of competency and organisation in basic record-keeping. In most offices visited, data were only available from the last few months, or year, and most had no records of HHW export or internal movements at all. Similarly, the international airport in Jakarta did not have available records of HHW exports.

Overall, there unfortunately appears to be very little information on, or awareness of, inshore reef fish fisheries, including for HHW.

On the other hand, there is a growing interest and awareness within the government, as a result of the report and its associated work, including three workshops (one on Hong Kong and one in Jakarta, of the important issues and challenges of managing this species, the first fish on CITES to be addressed by the Indonesian government.

There is also a growing participation by government staff in the assessment process for this species and the added newly participation of FAO which is involved in developing a sustainable management plan for this species.

This plan will be presented to the Indonesian government in October, 2006 for consideration in the process of quota-setting. Indonesia is the first exporting country of this species to set an export quota for the HHW in response to its CITES Appendix II listing.
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