Engaging stakeholders in crafting a CLME+ Civil Society Action Programme and a sub-regional fishery management plan for Eastern Caribbean flyingfish

There are various initiatives, activities and programmes that have been put in place to aid with the implementation of the CLME+ Strategic Action Programme (SAP). This experience note highlights the best practices and lessons learned from efforts to engage civil society in the Caribbean region in CLME+ SAP implementation across selected CLME+ Sub-Projects. Lessons learned from the “Engaging Civil Society in CLME+ SAP Implementation” sub-project suggest that having financial support to effectively engage key stakeholders is critical to raising awareness and garnering support for the implementation of the Civil Society Action Programme (C-SAP). Participatory processes were also prominent in “Enhancing stakeholder participation in sub-regional management of flyingfish fisheries” sub-project. Developing guided communication and implementation plans for increasing stakeholder engagement is essential for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) projects implemented at multiple scales. Best practices include engaging civil society stakeholders in targeted discussions aimed at understanding issues from their perspectives and compiling the lessons learned.