This brief presents a review of lessons learned and good practices in developing management plans within the context of community based resource management (CBRM) in Solomon Islands. The lessons are based on work done by the WorldFish Center, the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International (FSPI) and the Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. The document is intended to complement other initiatives in the country and through the Solomon Islands Locally Managed Marine Area Network add to lessons learned by other organizations in order to help the people and the government of the Solomon Islands meet their marine resource management goals. Key lessons include:
• Initiatives in community resource management that develop from genuine requests for participation from entire communities, have realistic expectations, secure stakeholder access to land and sea, and compensate for language barriers can successfully identify risks and threats to communities in order to guide adaptation planning and the assessment of possible supplementary livelihoods.
• Good community management institutions must be created and/or strengthened, provincial and national fishery officers should be brought on board, and research-for-development partnerships should be sealed with formal agreements and facilitated with effective communication.
• Management plans and monitoring methods should be simple and straightforward, tailored to local conditions so that they build on existing community norms and are realistic and sustainable.
• Decision-making tools and skills for adaptive community resource management enhance stakeholder capacity in general, improving community governance, cooperation and cohesion.