Consultants in Marine and Human Resource Assessment,

Development and Management

Gillett, Preston and Associates Inc. (GPA) provides consulting services in support of fishery and marine resource assessment, development and management projects. The company’s corporate goal is to provide high quality technical and managerial support to efforts by developing countries, especially those in the Pacific Islands region and South-East Asia, to rationally exploit and manage their living marine resources. In doing so, GPA strives to promote the development of locally-based marine research and management capabilities as a means of achieving sustainable resource use.

The company’s Pacific Island focus is reflected in its location, being headquartered in Port Vila, Vanuatu, with company directors resident in Suva, Fiji, and Noumea, New Caledonia. GPA also has associates in two Pacific rim countries, as well as affiliated consultants in several Pacific Island and metropolitan locations. The company is currently engaged on projects in both the Pacific Island and South-East Asian regions.

As a Pacific Island-based company, GPA has a long-term commitment to the future well-being of the region. This is reflected in the manner in which projects are implemented and in the working relationships with clients and partners. The company is working energetically to support the over-arching goal of sustainable marine resource development and use in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

GPA is able to provide services and support spanning the entire spectrum of fisheries development and management, including:

• fishery-sector planning/ elaboration of sustainable marine resource development plans
• establishment, implementation and monitoring of management-oriented research programmes on marine resources
• market/trade studies
• financial appraisals of fishery investment proposals, and technical advice in support of private sector development activities
• rapid rural appraisals, consultations with resource users, and development of community-based marine resource management systems
• enhancement of fishery sector institutions
• documentation of traditional marine resource use and systems of customary marine tenure
• quality assurance advisory services for the seafood industry and regulatory authorities
• assistance to commercial operates in establishing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) programmes for seafood products
• socio-economic impact assessments of fishery projects, especially those targeting disadvantaged groups or communities
• training needs assessments and fishery sector human resource development planning
• organisation / delivery of training courses, workshops and technical conferences
• evaluation of organisational structures and institutional capacity-building
• information gathering and packaging
• planning and implementation of field resource surveys and stock assessments
• assessments of the environmental impacts of fisheries projects and of the effects of other development projects on marine resources
• fishery-related infrastructure development studies and evaluations
• identification and promotion of marine bio-diversity conservation zones
• identification of fishery development opportunities, under-utilised resources and appropriate development projects
• fishery product development and marketing studies
• project feasibility studies, reviews, appraisals and evaluations
• overall management of marine resource development projects and teams