“Having a strategy is knowing where you are, where you are going, and what you want for the Zeila fishing community.” These wise words were spoken by the Ministry of Fisheries Regional Representative, Mr. Abdikadir Ismail, at the opening of a two-day interactive workshop on the development of Zeila’s Co-management Association's (CMA) five-year strategic plan. Secure Fisheries facilitated the workshop on December 15-16, 2021. It was attended by local fishers, government officials, traders, and the CMA management team.
Mr. Abdikadir urged the participants to participate effectively and have priorities written for the CMA by the end of the workshop. After defining the challenges faced by the fishing community, participants discussed the strategic objectives to address those challenges within the next five years. They decided their main goals are to:
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Manage, protect, and increase awareness of marine biodiversity in the Zeila communities and bring attention to the need to restore depleted resources;
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Increase the business outcomes and the livelihood support provided by fishing to the community;
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Achieve organizational excellence and build the capacity of the CMA management by acquiring their own physical office infrastructure and training about organizational development which is necessary for the growth and maturity of the organization.
This was the first time the CMA has had a five-year strategic plan, and they were enthusiastic and happy to begin work to reach their goals.
