Assessing the impact of Fisheries Management Science Programme (FMSP) research

As the Department for International Development (DFID) bilateral research programmes neared completion there wa a need to look at the impact that each of these programmes and the contribution that has been made towards the programme goals. In addition to showing that the programmes have been effective, there was also a need to show how the programmes have been effective in achieving impact. This was determined to be be crucial in informing research funding in the future.

It was important to assess the extent to which the programme had achieved its purpose and reached its goal. Impact assessments were used to do this and also provided not only an indication of the effectiveness of a project or programme but also potentially identify lessons that can be used to inform future activities and decision-making.

In order to be able to inform DFID of successes so far, across all of the project clusters and to identify potential constraints to future uptake and impact beyond the lifetime of the FMSP it was felt that it will be important to identify impacts to the end of the Programme. 

The project contributed to the commissioning of fisheries management research projects that will have increased potential for positive impact on target beneficiaries. This will thereby support improved livelihood outcomes of the poor. In the first instance, evidence was provided of how projects commissioned under the FMSP have supported innovation and been able to show impact and contribute to the programme goals. The output also showed how efforts in promoting uptake have led to positive outcomes and indicate some of the opportunities and constraints to further impacts from FMSP knowledge products. This information can inform the design of projects and interventions to support uptake of research outputs.