The Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (CFAP) provides science and technical support to Pacific Island Country and Territory (PICT) governments and administrations to enhance the management of their coastal fisheries, and the sustainable development of aquaculture and nearshore livelihoods. CFAP supports and implements all seven of the SPC FAME Business Plan: 2022-2027
CFAP has three sections: Aquaculture; Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Science; and Coastal Fisheries Management and Livelihoods. These sections are supported by two cross-cutting areas: Coastal Fisheries Information and Data Management – providing database and information service, support and advice; and Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics – providing economic advice, analysis and assessment of coastal fisheries and aquaculture data and projects.
Given the integrated nature of coastal fisheries and aquaculture in the Pacific islands region, CFAP works in close partnership with the Oceanic Fisheries Programme and the Director’s Office – including Fisheries Information and Knowledge and the PMEL sections. CFAP also adopts an interdisciplinary approach by collaborating with other SPC Divisions (especially, Human Rights and Social Development; Land Resources; Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Programme; Statistics for Development; and Geoscience, Energy and Maritime), and collaborates with a wide range of universities, international, regional and local NGOs, and other Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP); Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) to deliver the CFAP work programme in an integrated and collaborative manner. Ensuring aquaculture and coastal fisheries are integrated into the broader food systems initiatives by promoting and supporting aquatic/blue foods.
Activities are supported by key donors, including New Zealand, Australia, European Union, Sweden and the United States, and implementation is frequently in partnership with non-government organisations, civil society organisations, communities, universities and, increasingly, locally and regionally based consultants.