The World Bank’s Coastal Fisheries Initiative - Challenge Fund Global Knowledge Competition aims to mobilize the collective power of fishing communities, businesses, investors, government, and seafood stakeholders to design and implement innovative methods that encourage the sustainable use and management of coastal fish stocks.
Problem
Overfishing is among the biggest challenges threatening the health of our oceans, the livelihoods of millions of families living in coastal communities, and the business opportunities of seafood and related industries around the world.
Each year, global marine fisheries lose out on $83 billion in economic benefits due to overfishing (World Bank “The Sunken Billions Revisited”), a sum that could instead be productively reinvested in people, communities, and economies. Limited coordination among fisheries and seafood stakeholders has thus far blocked the development of viable solutions to overfishing, resulting in the continued loss of natural resources and economic benefits.
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Why apply?
Coaching and Mentoring
Competitors that pass the eligibility screening will receive coaching and mentoring prior to the short listing of applications. During the coaching and mentoring period, competitors will have a one-time opportunity to resubmit a revised application.
- Application support will depend on competitor interest and commitment to the coaching and mentoring process. Matchmaking services may be provided to connect individual competitor organizations with other organizations or coalitions.
Recognition and the opportunity to share your solution to overfishing
The competition’s independent judging panel will select one winner and one runner-up from each country.
Winners will receive:
- An opportunity to share their coalition’s solution in a documentary video that will be seen by potential partners, funders, businesses, and other constituents in the seafood value chain
- Additional acceleration and capacity development support to strengthen coalitions and accelerate their solutions, such as a review of their business and strategic plans or financing strategies, and introductions to donor and investors
- Recognition on solutionstooverfishing.org, in newsletters, and on social media by the competition and its partners
- A speaking role at a virtual global Knowledge Sharing Event with a wide range of key funders, seafood value chain businesses, and other sustainable fisheries constituents
Runners-up will receive:
- Recognition on solutionstooverfishing.org, in newsletters, and on social media by the competition and its partners
- An opportunity to participate in a virtual global Knowledge Sharing Event with a wide range of key funders, seafood value chain businesses, and other sustainable fisheries constituents
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Eligibility criteria
The competition is open to established or newly formed coalitions as well as individual organizations seeking coalitions working in coastal fisheries and seafood and related industries. Please see the Official Terms and Conditions for eligibility criteria.
Coalitions must comprise three or more collaborating organizations. Two of the organizations must have ongoing operations in the target competition country during the competition and must include at least two of the following types of organizations:
- fishing and coastal communities
- businesses
- nonprofit organizations
Coalitions may also include:
- civil society organizations
- technical assistance providers
- other entities working toward productive and sustainable fisheries
We encourage all interested and eligible individual organizations to apply and will try to match organizations to form or join coalitions.
One contact person from an organization in a coalition will submit one application on the coalition’s behalf and will serve as the primary point of contact throughout the competition.
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Solutions sought and examples
The competition seeks innovative solutions to address overfishing in coastal fisheries in one of four countries: Cabo Verde, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Peru.
To be eligible, proposed solutions must work to reduce overfishing and promote the sustainable use and management of coastal fisheries by addressing the tragedy of the commons through improved coordination among fishers and increased collaboration across stakeholders.
Proposed solutions:
- Must include biological restoration to rebuild the fishery to productive and sustainable stock levels in areas where fish stocks have already been degraded
- May work toward increasing the post-harvest value of fish, but must not encourage increased fishing
- Are encouraged to include new models of industry structures or practices and mechanisms of innovative financing to improve coordination of fishing activities and collaboration of stakeholders
Read these examples of hypothetical proposals to learn what proposals align or do not align with competition criteria.
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Evaluation criteria
After the application period closes, eligible applications will be judged against the following five criteria:
1. Problem and Solution Fit
- Does the problem articulated in the application align with the problem the competition seeks to address?
- Does the proposed solution concept fit the described problem and solution, context, and seem viable?
2. Potential Impact
- How great is the solution’s potential impact to reduce overfishing and address the tragedy of the commons in coastal fisheries?
3. Enhanced Coordination
- Does the concept use innovative mechanisms and methods to engage coastal fishers and improve coordination among them?
- Does the concept use innovative mechanisms and methods to engage stakeholder groups in the fisheries sector or value chain and improve coordination across them?
4. Coalition Capability and Structure
- Does the coalition include representatives from multiple stakeholder groups (e.g., fishing communities, government, businesses, and finance communities) and are key members engaged?
- Does the coalition or individual organization demonstrate relevant past performance for a similar undertaking?
- Is there a clear understanding of coalition member roles and value to the proposed solution?
5. Sustainability and Replicability
- To what degree does the solution include a plan and proposed financing mechanism to sustain the proposed solution?
- To what degree does the solution incorporate a plan and financing mechanism to sustain the coalition?
- Is there potential to replicate this solution in other coastal fisheries and countries?
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