Social-economist/ Fisheries Biologist/ Ecotourism Expert

SNV Netherlands Development Organisationis a not-for-profit international development organisation. Founded in the Netherlands nearly 50 years ago, we have built a long-term, local presence in 38 of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organisations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

SNV is seeking research team members (Socio-Economist, Fishery Biologist & Ecotourism Expert) for “Assessment Of Aquatic Resource Based Livelihoods, Practices, And Ecotourism Development In Selected Watersheds Across Paani Target River Basins” for The USAID Paani Program, also known as the पानीपरियोजना, is a 5 year, $25 million project in Nepal. Water is the single most important natural resource underpinning Nepal’s economy and livelihoods. The sustainable management of water resources in Nepal depends on addressing climate change and protecting healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. Paani aims to enhance Nepal’s ability to manage water resources for multiple uses and users through climate change adaptation and the conservation of freshwater biodiversity. Paani focuses at the watershed, basin, and national scales.  The project has approximately $5 million in grants and activity procurements. Its goal will be reached by meeting the following objectives:

• Reduce threats to fresh water biodiversity in the Karnali, Mahakali, and Rapti river basins. 
• Increase the ability of targeted human and ecological communities to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change through improved water management. 

Overall Tasks: 

• Assess fishing carrying capacity of the major rivers for fishing 
• Document local market networks and vendors engaged in fish industry and marketing 
• Identify market potential areas and fish market places and restaurants 
• Identify vendors, fisher folks involved in fishing and sales 
• Document market scope and value for potential livelihood and alternative options, farm gate prices, principal fishery products and existing as well as potential ecotourism products and services (e.g. fly-fishing) from each of the River Basin (e.g. various ecotourism options), 
• Identify and describe local fishery management practices with particular focus on their impacts in Paani’s first priority watersheds,  
• Identify governance issues affecting fisheries (including policies, regulations, rules-in-use, and formal and informal institutions), and any gaps in their implementation. 
• Identify and describe potential champions for improving sustainable capture fisheries 
• Identify the socio-economic status of fisher folks
• Identify the organization of fisher folks and their voice and concern
• Identify the women role in fishing, marketing and access over the income (money from fish selling)

Specific Tasks: 

• Describe, in a general way, the market for fish, including scale, present status, trends, and key drivers of change for each of the major fishery resources, drawing on information on collection or buying points locally used by fishers and any additional information available on in Paani target river basin and watershed areas. 
• Describe in a general way the relative importance (a) of commercial and subsistence fishing (e.g., related to nutrition), and (b) of capture fisheries and aquaculture.  
• Identify the different products sold, e.g., by phyla or order (fish, mollusks, etc.), species (for major commercial species), by kind of product (fresh, dried, smoked, etc.), and source (e.g., capture or aquaculture)  
• Identify existing and potential collection and market places and consumers for fish and related aquatic products.  
• Supplement the above descriptions with quantitative information on fishery areas, fish, and fishery products, source areas and markets, including volumes and prices for different products, numbers of fishers, types of gear, etc. these data would be captured during the field study and complemented by secondary resource data although few exist.
• Gather qualitative estimates of the potential market demand for fish and fishery products captured by local community 
• Describe the process through which fishers and marketers supply fish and fishery products to end markets, including the costs of such marketing process and any infrastructure or equipment.
• Describe the major policies and legal and institutional frameworks, including local structures, licensing, and rules in use, that govern local fisheries.
• Describe fisheries management system(s) and measures in place to sustain local fisheries (e.g. closed seasons or areas, gear, other restrictions) and asses their effectiveness.
• Explore and analyze current and past experience in promoting ways to operate sustainably, also considering local traditions, customs, and norms.
• Explore, and assess the practicality of, new opportunities for achieving sustainable fisheries (e.g., sport fishing, aquaculture, alternative river-based livelihoods [e.g., rafting, river-based home stays, etc.], and alternative livelihoods outside the fisheries sector to reduce fishing pressure, and others.  
• Assess (a) the market dynamics of supply and demand with regard to fisheries, ecotourism, and other river-based livelihood alternatives, and (b) related issues, including bottlenecks, and irregularities, and other gaps with respect to illegal fishing practices, licensing, conflicts, production problems, and marketing constraints. 
• Identify potential adverse impacts of the system on the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystem, environment, and social structure, including the vulnerability of particular species to fishing pressure, impacts on habitats, bycatch, and key ecological behaviors (e.g., feeding, spawning, etc.).  
• Identify potential “champion”, individuals or groups for conservation of river ecosystems and their functions/services and community resilience, including both men and women, and members of traditionally “excluded” groups.  
• Assess and identify any existing or potential physical safety risks associated with livelihood and alternative potential livelihood options.

Research team: 

1. Socio-economist (Team Lead) -60 days
2. Ecotourism Expert-39 days 
3. Fisheries Biologist-24 days

Qualifications: 

• Social-economist: The Team Lead should have a minimum of Masters’ Degree specialized in Socio-economics or relevant discipline with a minimum of 12 years work experience on value chain assessment. 
• Fisheries Biologist: The Fisheries Biologist should have at least a MSc in Fishery Biology or relevant discipline with a minimum of 10 years work experience on fishery research and development; 
• Ecotourism Expert: The Ecotourism Expert will have Masters’ Degree in a relevant discipline and considerable experience on the designing and promotion of ecotourism 
• Experts with International experience are preferred.  
• Team members having experience working with multi-stakeholders, communities and private sectors preferred;
• Team members must have demonstrated exploration and analytical skills; 
• Team members should be in good physical condition, able and willing to walk if necessary for field confirmation of indications or understandings gathered from background documentation and discussions; able to cope agreeably with field conditions that may include limited amenities and logistic support;
• Excellent spoken and written English.

The consultants will be working in a team and the overall and specific tasks will be shared amongst the team members.

Contract Type: Consultancy

Period of Performance: November 2017-March 2018

How to Apply:

If you are interested in the assignment, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and cover letter with your interested position by 25 October 2017 via below link:

Socio-Economist: http://smrtr.io/PLfIQg

Ecotourism Expert: http://smrtr.io/jPHabw  

Fisheries Biologist: http://smrtr.io/OU9Vvw  

For more detail please check Scope of Work of the assignment:  http://www.asianart.com/bannersys/pictures/sow.pdf