FAO/GEF/MMAF INCEPTION WORKSHOP ON MAINSTREAMING BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE INTO INLAND FISHERIES PRACTICES IN FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS OF HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE.

The inception workshop for the preparation of the FAO/GEF project "Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use into Inland Fisheries Practices in Freshwater Ecosystems of High Conservation Value" was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 8-9 September 2014. It brought together stakeholder groups from both government and non-government sectors, including private industry, academia and UN Agencies. The workshop reviewed the overall project framework approved for funding by the GEF and its four main components on: (i) mainstreaming of inland aquatic biodiversity into resource development and management policy; (ii) demonstrations of conservation and sustainable use of inland aquatic biodiversity; (iii) monitoring and assessment of inland aquatic biodiversity; and (iv) project monitoring and evaluation, and adaptive learning. It also identified issues of concern that could be addressed in the project (including the need to generate global environmental benefits in the GEF Biodiversity Focal Area), clarified project preparation steps, and confirmed potential Indonesia partners, champions and resources during the preparation and, eventually, project implementation phase. As a next step, the workshop recommended that four technical workshops should be organized by the national consultants, including one on each of the three islands selected for the project, i.e. Sumatra, Java and Borneo. The technical workshops will provide a baseline analysis, identify gaps and areas of work at the project sites, and provide inputs to the project result framework. The project preparation team will work towards having consultants' reports completed by mid-February 2015 and a mid-term progress workshop by mid-March 2015, which will allow the preparation of a draft project document by May for submission to GEF in June 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]