Nearshore Fisheries Development and Livelihoods Officer

Nearshore Fisheries Development and Livelihoods Officer

SPC – Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Noumea, New Caledonia

The role – the Nearshore Fisheries Development and Livelihoods Officer will provide advice and support to strengthen, manage, and implement the coastal fisheries development and livelihoods related work programme of the Livelihoods Unit of the Coastal Fisheries Management and Livelihoods Section.

The key responsibilities of the role include the following:

Provides planning and practical advice to members on nearshore fisheries development, post-harvest handling, value adding and related livelihood activities

• Facilitates and contributes to feasibility studies and planning of sustainable nearshore fisheries development and livelihood initiatives, including, but not limited to, small-scale tuna fishing, deep-water slope fishing, bait fishing, squid fishing, tourism-based sport fishing, post-harvest handling, and value adding;
• Liaises with PICTs’ fisheries administrations and the private sector to keep abreast of developments and aspirations and assist the Nearshore Fisheries Development and Livelihoods Specialist to build these into the Unit’s work programme;
• Responds to ad-hoc requests from PICTs’ fisheries administrations and private sector for nearshore fisheries technical information and advice;
• Assists PICTs to develop, investigate, and test new fisheries development initiatives as part of pilot projects before a wider (regional) promotion of initiatives occurs;
• Assists PICTs to develop, implement, and promote joint projects with other international or regional organisations, to draw on the strengths of all involved;
• Promotes collaboration with other sections within SPC on issues such as food security, small-scale livelihoods, by-catch mitigation, food systems, human rights, gender, social inclusion, and climate change adaptation;
• Keeps abreast of coastal/nearshore fisheries developments, livelihoods diversification (e.g. water-based tourism, value adding of food-fish and non-food-fish products, agriculture, etc), sea safety advances, to inform the unit’s work programme.

Coordinates, advises, and supports practical capacity building assistance to members on nearshore fishing techniques, safety at sea, post-harvest handling, value adding and related livelihood activities

• Provides advice and training in fish-handling and value-adding for nearshore fishing operations;
• Provides support, technical assistance, and training in all aspects of anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (aFADs) and nearshore fishing techniques;
• Facilitates training in post-harvest handling, processing, value-adding (food and non-food marine based products), strengthening market access for nearshore fishing operations;
• Provides technical assistance and training in all aspects of small boat safety for nearshore fishers and operations;
• Provides inputs to national projects orchestrated by the country/territory Fisheries Development Officers;
• Provides support in post-disaster needs assessment covering the small-scale fisheries sector;
• Identifies and advises on innovative options for alternative or supplementary livelihoods.

Coordinates, advises and supports practical assistance to members in the design, development, and delivery of appropriate nearshore fisheries development and livelihoods, awareness raising, and educational information and materials

• Contributes to the production of the Section’s resource materials, including technical manuals, information and training packages and reports;
• Assists with the review of technical content, printing and distribution of resource materials, in collaboration with the SPC FAME Information Unit and PICTs;
• Provides input to the production of fisheries educational and awareness materials, in collaboration with the SPC FAME Information Unit and member PICTs;
• Expands the use of digital technology and social media for promoting section activities and raising awareness more broadly.

Section administration, communication, and collaboration within and across SPC sections, programmes, divisions, SPC members and partners

• Assists the Principal Fisheries Adviser (Management and Livelihoods) and Nearshore Fisheries Development & Livelihoods Specialist (FDLS) to develop the annual work plans and reports for the Unit;
• Acquits any cash advances for fieldwork activities in a timely manner;
• Contributes where applicable to programme, divisional and corporate publications, such as fisheries newsletters, annual reports, and divisional reports for Heads of Fisheries and the Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture;
• Produces reports for all activities undertaken in the appropriate format for the activity, including technical reports and trip reports, and input to funding proposals and donor reports;
• Fills in for Management and Livelihoods Section staff when they are on leave or duty travel, when required.

Key selection criteria:

Qualifications

• Degree in nearshore fisheries development, fishing technology, or a related discipline;
• Technical maritime qualification or recognized fishing skipper or fishing master’s qualification.

Technical expertise

• At least 7 years of direct relevant experience working and advising on tropical nearshore fisheries development in the Pacific region or other tropical regions;
• Knowledge and experience in a range of fishing gears and techniques e.g. deepwater fishing, midwater fishing, pole and line fishing, bait fishing, longline fishing, night fishing techniques, especially small-scale and medium-scale nearshore fishing methods;
• Experience in seamanship, safety at sea, and fishing technologies training;
• Experience in nearshore fisheries post-harvest handling, value-adding, non-extractive livelihood activities;
• Experience in anchored Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) design, construction, site surveys, and deployment methods;
• Experience working with PC systems and MS Office/365 and Teams software;
• Willingness and demonstrated capacity to travel and undertake overseas assignments in SPC member countries, sometimes under difficult physical conditions.

Language skills

• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) in English, with the capacity to engage effectively with government, public and community audiences.

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Ability to work in a complex work environment with the patience, creativity, and to deal with institutional and cultural challenges.

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