Jasmine Sila

GEF/UNDP LDCF ( Least Developed Country Fund) – 2 Million USD – NHS,MAF,MNRE

4 Year project : 2009 – 2013

Project Goal :

To safeguard human development in Samoa from new and additional risks associated with climate change.

Project Objective:

To increase the resilience and adaptive capacity of local communities in Samoa to the adverse impacts of climate change on agricultural production and public health

(i) Develop a Climate Early Warning System (CLEWS) under the Meteorology component to assist Agriculture and Health to better respond to the impacts of climate change and to inform their planning purposes;(ii)Align cross sectoral approach on Health and Agriculture with the Strategy for the Development of Samoa 2008 – 2012;(iii)Strengthen cross sectoral collaboration and coordination between the agricultural / food security, the National Health Service and Environment data service.

Outcome 1:•Enhanced technical and organization capabilities of the Meteorology Division to monitor climate trends and provide climate risk and early communications to the agricultural and health sectors.

Outcome 2:•Capacity of the agricultural sector improved to design adaptive policies and perform short – term seasonal) and long – term (decadal) agricultural planning and crop management

Outcome 3:•Capacity of the public health planners and public health workers strengthened to reduce the impact of climate change

58 Crop Maps each for Upolu and Savaii;

Soil Resource Interpretative Manual has been developed;

MAF now has a Geographical Information System (GIS) purchased under this project;

Contract for a GIS Consultant is underway to conduct a GIS Training for MAF staff;

Pilot sites for this project: Togitogiga (wettest area), Asau (driest area), Salailua (coast) and Nuu (control). On these four different sites, 5 climate ready crops will be planted to see if there really is an impact of climate to the growth of these crops;

Draft Report of the Climate Adaptation Strategy for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CASAFF).

Consultations have already been conducted

Currently in a Draft formA national consultation will be

conducted to validate this documentTranslated in Samoan, published and

launchedMainstreamed into the Agriculture

Sector Plan

  What is happening?

How might this affect fisheries? What adaptation measures?

       

  Rising air temperatures are resulting in higher sea surface temperatures

Reef-based fish species already near their thermal limits may disappear; other species have some ability to adapt but average sizes are expected to be smaller. Some large pelagic fish may be unable to adapt, so some preferred fish species could disappear.

These changes cannot be prevented so adaptation is possible only by shifting commercial targets and consumers changing their personal preferences. Expansion of pond aquaculture can help offset declines in yield.

    Individual fish will tend to grow faster, and to be shorter-lived; breeding of some species will commence earlier and there could be a mismatch between timing ofreproduction and best conditionsfor larval development.

Local knowledge and observations will help monitor this sort of change, though its consequences cannot be fully understood at this time. Some adaptation is possible through aquaculture.

    Initial assessment is that skipjack tuna schools will not be adversely impacted and, in the long term, possibly increase; however tuna habitat may be reduced where oxygen minimum zones expand.

Monitor tuna climate change impact information as it is updated and consider modifying oceanic fisheries operations and locations to suit.

    Coral bleaching In some situations some coral replanting may be a practical way of hastening reef recovery but the main measure will be to work with others to reduce adverse impacts on reef health such as sediment and pollutants, and to eliminate physical damage to reefs. FADs can help to aggregate fish so as to ease the situation forinshore fishers experiencing declinein their reef fisheries. Establish fish reserves/marine protected areas to minimise physical damage to coral reefs

  More carbon dioxide

dissolved in seawater

causes it to become

more acidic

Positive expectations for skipjack tuna stocks in Samoan

waters could be compromised if research establishes that

recruitment is lowered by adverse effect of increasing ocean

acidity on fish larvae and on plankton.

No direct adaptation measure can be taken to prevent this sort

of decline.

    The capacity of corals and shell-forming species to deposit

calcium carbonate declines as seawater acidity

rises. Weakened coral reef

structures are more

vulnerable to storm damage so a gradual decline in coral reefs,

and the many fish and other species associated

with them, is anticipated

- with an increase

in

herbivorous fish species.

If other impacts that damage coral reefs can be curbed (such

as habitat damage, pollution, crown-of-thorns predation) this

will help maintain reef-based fisheries for longer until a new

ecosystem achieves some form of balance. Nothing can be

done to prevent this change except, perhaps, where reef

building species tolerant to

lower pH are identified

and are used in

reef

rehabilitation/adjustment activities.  Sea level is rising Inundation of coastal seagrass and mangrove habitat will

reduce fish nursery areas.

Compensate for habitat loss by actively encouraging inland

extension of seagrasses and mangroves - a difficult measure

that will require cooperation and understanding, and

compromise, from affected persons and agencies.

  Increased wet season

rainfall

More freshwater in estuaries and increased sediment carried

into estuaries and onto reefs.

Monitor adverse impacts on coastal fisheries and use the

information in coordination with efforts by crops, livestock and

forestry to bring about upstream management that minimises

soil erosion. Management of water catchments under

customary land tenure also to be addressed through

Community Based Fisheries Management Committees.

  The combined effects

of climate change

Interactions of increased sea temperature and carbon dioxide,

coupled with expected changes in ocean circulation and

changed pH are likely to bring about changes in larval

dispersal and fish schooling.

Fisheries Division interaction with Community Based Fisheries

Management Committees provides a good basis for adaptive

measures. Also, seek guidance from computer based

modelling/simulations that may assist in understanding the

changing patterns of dispersal and

      schooling, and testing management measures to suit.

    Outbreak of Crown of thorn starfish (COTS) as a result of increased disturbance from more intense storms.

Through partnership arrangements with village communities and other agencies collect and burn COTS and other control measures.