Pacific European Union Marine Partnership Programme (PEUMP)

The Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership Programme (PEUMP) is a multilateral fund financed by the European Union (EU) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) aiming at building sustainable fisheries in the Pacific region. The PEUMP programme will be implemented by CROP agencies including the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the University of the South Pacific (USP), with SPC being the lead agency. Other implementing partners include the Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) Network, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Pacific Island Tuna Industry Association (PITIA). The Programme is made up of six Key Result Areas (KRAs) and a Programme Management Unit (PMU) covering a range of activities that focus on gaps in fisheries science; fisheries development; coastal resources and livelihoods; illegal, unrecorded, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; ecosystem based management; biodiversity conservation; and capacity building at the national and community levels. The University of the South Pacific has a PAGoDA Grant Agreement with the EU and will receive funding of EUR 5.7 million over the next 4.5 years. USP will specifically address capacity development, through KRA 6 under the title: “Capacity built through education, training, research and development for key stakeholder groups in fisheries and marine resources management” Poverty alleviation is a key consideration. In addition, gender issues and a rights-based approach will be mainstreamed throughout the programme. With the approach to move from ad-hoc training to more strategic and formal education and career pathways and continuing professional development (CPD), schemes will be implemented at regional, national and local level involving the regional university network, TVET institutions and the leading international marine professionals’ body, IMarEST. Target countries include USP member countries in addition to Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea. The PEUMP project is being implemented by USP’s Institute of Marine Resources through the recruitment of 12 new staff for the KRA6 team. This team consists of academics (lecturers, research fellows and assistants), administrators, educational course specialists and management staff.

Key Area 1: Technical & Vocational Education & Training (TVET) and Continuing Professional Development

This covers training courses and programmes targeting the workforce including:

Workplace Training Development Units – short courses designed to enhance workplace skills such as time management and business skills.
National Certificates – such as Fisheries Compliance and Enforcement (Certificate Level IV) generally requiring 3 – 4 courses taken over a year. This includes working with the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) to accredit new courses developed and those to transition to USP from FFA as well as delivery of courses already offered by USP.
Professional Body membership – working with IMarEST to empower Pacific island students and professionals to become actively involved in existing continuing professional development (CPD) programmes not previously promoted in the region.
Development of “Lifelong Learning Pathways” for marine professionals – mapping of career pathways within the marine sector (including TVET and higher education) that includes CPD opportunities, and identification of model(s) for the delivery and/or accreditation of on-going professional development. The design of specific career pathways and lifelong learning opportunities will focus on coastal and offshore fisheries as part of marine resource management careers.

Key Area 2: Coastal Fisheries Management

Focusing at the tertiary level, this area involves both review and amendment as needed of undergraduate coastal fisheries management courses already offered and the development of potentially new courses identified through an initial needs and gap analysis. In addition there will be development of postgraduate research capacity through Masters and PhD scholarships, and applied research focused on coastal fisheries management.

USP offers existing undergraduate courses of relevance to coastal fisheries and other related courses in the fields of climate change, gender studies, law, economics, and business management. Depending on the outcome of the needs and gap analysis these courses may be amended or new undergraduate courses developed targeting the changing and future needs of the coastal fisheries sector.

Targeted applied research by postgraduate students (Masters and PhD level) will be supported and mentored by the Coastal Fisheries Research Fellow and Research Assistant to help build a regional pool of skilled Pacific Islander researchers with applied expertise in coastal fisheries management. The applied research conducted will also draw from and help to support the capacity development and research components of the other PEUMP Programme partners for KRA1 to KRA5.

Key Area 3: Marine Sustainable Development

Also focusing more at the tertiary level, this area involves both review and amendment as needed of undergraduate marine sustainable development courses already offered and the development of potentially new courses identified through the needs and gap analysis.

In addition there will be development of postgraduate research capacity through Masters and PhD scholarships, and applied research focused on the sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment.

Depending on the outcome of the needs and gap analysis these courses may be amended or new undergraduate courses developed focusing more on integrated sustainable development, for example: on blue economies and climate financing, sustainable business management models, and renewable energy options in a decarbonising world.

Targeted applied research by postgraduate students (Masters and PhD level) will be supported and mentored by the Marine Sustainable Development Fellow and Research Assistant to help build a regional pool of skilled Pacific Islander researchers with applied expertise in marine sustainable development. The applied research conducted will also draw from and help to support the capacity development and research components of the other PEUMP Programme partners for KRA1 to KRA5.