Learning Curves

OED
January2007

ADBsFisheriesPolicy
Worldwide,fishareacriticalsourceofanimalprotein,healthylipids,andessential micronutrients.For2.6billionpeoplelivingindevelopingcountries,fishprovidemorethan 20%ofanimalproteinconsumed,comparedto8%inindustrializedcountries.Fisheriesalso provideanimportantsourceoflivelihoods,foodsecurity,andincomeforhundredsof millionsofpeoplearoundtheworld.Themajority(87%)oftheworldsfishersand aquacultureworkers,numbering33million,liveintheAsiaandPacificregion. From1969to1979,mostADBassistedprojectsaddressedtheneedsoflargescalefisheries, althoughsomehadcomponentsforsmallscalefisheriesandaquaculture.Fromthelate1980s, capturefisheriesenteredastateofinexorabledeclinecausedbydecimationoffishstocksand ecosystemdisruption.Inthe1990s,ADBsapproachanddevelopmentassistanceinthe fisherysectorexpandedtoencompassawiderangeofenvironmentalandsocialconcerns. ADBsPolicyonFisheries,approvedin1997,expressedworryaboutwidespreadpoverty amongsmallscalefishers,overexploitationoffisheriesresources,anddegradationofthe naturalresourcebase.Thepolicywasdesignedtosupportthepromotionofsustainable managementoffisheriesandaquaticresources.
Background TheAsianDevelopmentBank(ADB)sfirst assistancetofisheriesbeganin1968.By31December 2005,ADBhadapproved68fisheriesrelatedprojects withacumulativeloanamountof$1.4billion, equivalentto9%oftheagricultureandnatural resourcesportfolio,or1.2%ofcumulativeADBlending. ADBsfisheriesoperationsareconcentratedinthree countries:Indonesia,Philippines,andSriLanka,which collectivelyaccountfor61%ofthetotalamountof fisheriesloans.Asof31December2005,fisheriesloans amountedtoonly1.2%ofADBscumulativetotal lending.Only14ofatotalof68fisheriesprojectswere approvedinthe8yearsafterthepolicyonfisherieswas approvedin1997,withcumulativeloansof$305million (22%ofthetotalfisheriesloanportfolioof$1.4billion). Thepolicywasintendedtoprovidedirection throughfiveguidingprinciples:(i)anchoringADBs fisheriesstrategyonsustainabilityinconservationand utilizationoffisheriesandaquaticresources,equityin balancingtheinterestsofcompetingresourceusers,and efficiencyinthedevelopmentandmanagementof aquaticresources;(ii)encouragingalargerroleforthe
Operations Evaluation Department Asian Development Bank

privatesectorinfishmarketingandprocessing;(iii) emphasizingthatgovernmentsareresponsiblefor establishingapolicy,institutional,andregulatory frameworktosupportsustainablemanagementof fisheriesresources;(iv)callingforrigorousapplication ofADBsenvironmentalguidelinesindevelopingand implementingfisheriesandaquacultureprojects;and(v) adoptingaparticipatoryprocessinformulatingprojects, andencouragingactiveinvolvementofthecommunity, nongovernmentorganizations,andtargeted beneficiariesinprojectdesignandimplementation. In2006,theOperationsEvaluationDepartment undertookaSpecialEvaluationStudyonADBs FisheriesPolicy.1Thestudywasdesignedto:(i)assess theextenttowhichthepolicyguidesandinfluencesthe designandimplementationofADBassistedprojects andtechnicalassistancegrants;(ii)reviewtheobjectives ofthepolicyandtheoutcomesofADBassistancein fisheries;(iii)assesstherelevanceofthefisheriespolicy toADBoperations,takingintoaccountmajorglobal andregionalfisheriespolicydevelopmentinitiativesin fisheries;(iv)reviewtrendsinADBassistanceto fisheriesbeforeandaftertheadoptionofthepolicy,and

6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City, 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines Tel +63 2 632 4444; Fax +63 2 636 2444; evaluation@adb.org; www.adb.org/evaluation/

(v)providerecommendationsforfutureADBactionon thepolicy. SummaryofFindings Theevaluationassessedtherelevanceofthe fisheriespolicyinfivedimensions:(i)ADBoperations, (ii)consistencywithotherADBpoliciesandstrategies, (iii)externalpolicycontext,(iv)emergingissues,and(v) nationalfisheriespolicydevelopmentinADBs developingmembercountries. Basedonthefourdimensionsofevaluation (relevance,effectiveness,efficiency,andsustainability), theevaluationratedthefisheriespolicyunsuccessful. Thepolicydidnotmakeasignificantdifferencein guidingADBfinancedoperationsinfisheries.Itwas onlypartlyrelevanttothedesignandimplementation ofADBassistedfisheriesprojectsandtechnical assistance,andtotheinternalpolicycontextofADB. Withtheevolutionofglobalandregionalpolicy initiativesinfisheries,emergingissues,and contemporarychallenges,thepolicyhasbecome redundant. Designsofprojectsandtechnicalassistanceafter adoptionofthepolicyweregenerallyinfluencedby lessonsidentifiedfrompredecessorprojects,emerging regionalandglobaltrendsinnaturalresources management,internationalanddomesticpolicy instruments,prioritiesofdevelopingmembercountries, countrystrategiesandprograms,andrelatedADB policies. Thepolicyisratedaslesseffectiveinachievingits objectives.Severaldeficienciesinthepolicyworked againstitsadoptionasaguide,themoststrikingbeing theabsenceofanaccompanyingsetofapproachesfor themanagementoffisheriesandaquaticresources,lack ofsafeguardprovisionsinthebroadercontextof naturalresourcesmanagement,absenceofclear strategiesforresponsiblemanagementofinland fisheries,andlackofguidanceonhowintersectoral integrationshouldproceed. Policyimplementationisratedaslessefficient primarilyduetotheabsenceof(i)staffguidelinesor operationsmanualtosupportpolicyapplication, implementation,andenforcement;and(ii)amonitoring frameworkforpolicyimplementation. Thepolicyisunlikelytobesustainable.Although thepolicywasfarsightedwhenitwasprepared,itwas rapidlysupersededbyexternalpolicyinitiatives,and renderedoutdatedbytheemergenceofcontemporary issuesandchallengesduetodynamicdevelopmentsin fisheries,aswellasthechangingandlimiteddemand
Learning Curves available @ www.adb.org/evaluation/

forADBassistanceinfisheries.Arevisedpolicywould notaddvalueinthefisheriespolicyarena.ADBs MediumTermStrategyII,20062008further categorizesfisheriesintoGroupIII(sectors/subsectors withlimiteddemandforADBservices,andinwhich ADBsperformancehasnotbeenstrong),recommended forgraduallywindingup. Recommendations ADBshouldretireitsfisheriespolicywithin12 months. ADBshoulddevelopaplanforhandlingtheexisting ADBoperationsinthefisherysectortakinginto accounttheneedto:(i)emphasizedevelopmentand managementapproachesthatadheretoprinciples forresponsiblefisheries,(ii)refertofisheriespolicy instrumentsofregionalorganizations,(iii)assess ADBsinhousecapacitytoadministerandservice thecurrentADBassistanceinthefisherysector,(iv) developstrategicpartnershipswithinternational institutionswithexpertiseinthefisherysector,and (v)integratefisheriesintobroaderrural developmentapproachesforcreatingsustainable livelihoods,safeguardingtheenvironment,and enhancingcoastalresourcemanagement. ADBshouldreclassifyitsassistancetoaquaculture andincludeitunderagriculturesectordevelopment, giventhataquacultureisgenerallyregardedasa formoffarmingandshouldbeconsideredaspartof agricultureratherthanfisheries. Feedback ADBManagementsResponsewelcomedthestudy, whichitfoundcomprehensive,insightful,andwell written.Itdeemedthatthestudypresentsatimely assessmentofpolicyinthechangingcontextofADBs developingmembercountriesandglobalfisheries.It foundthatitcontainsacandidandcriticaldiscussionof theproblemsfacedinADBsinvolvementinthissector overtheyears.Itremarkedthatthestudywillserveasa milestoneindefiningthefuturedirectionofgradual disengagementfromfisheriessector,particularlyinthe lightoftheprioritiesofADBsMediumTermStrategy II,20062008.
1

ADB.2006.SpecialEvaluationStudyonADBsFisheries Policy.Manila.Available: http://www.adb.org/Documents/SES/REG/sstreg2006 07/sesfisheries.pdf

Team Leader: Njoman Bestari; Tel +63 2 632 5690; nbestari@adb.org