Report from the Pacific region

1
Report from the Pacific region

• Presentation on regional context and SPREP
  activities-Dominique Benzaken, SPREP
• Presentation on the Coral Reef Initative in the
  south pacific (CRISP) Eric clua, AFD coordinator
• Presentation on SPC Reef fisheries observatory
  activities -Being Yeeting, SPC
• Comments from Pacific countries and open Forum

2
Coral reefs and associated systems Regional
perspective
Dominique Benzaken Coastal management adviser
3
Outline of presentation

• Island environment and lifestyles
• Policy guidance -International
• Regional priorities
• SPREP activities
• Challenges, gaps and opportunities
• Concluding remarks

4
Island environments and lifestyle

• Islands environments is basis of island life
• Over the years, decline in island resources (eg
  less fish, fresh water, mangroves and forests,
  more waste, dirty waters, invasive plants and
  animals)
• Why?
• More people and changes in lifestyles and needs
  driving overuse of island resources
• Small and fragile island environments and
  economies
• Ability to respond to change

5
International context

• Mauritius strategy
• Blue print for sustainable development of island
  countries (environment, economic, society)
• Integration of biodiversity into National
  sustainable development Strategies (NSDSs) to
  promote sustainable use of biodiversity
• Focus on governance, partnerships and Integrated
  management systems of coastal, marine and
  freshwater and biodiversity resources
• Island biodiversity programme of work
• Sets targets for 2010 for conservation and
  sustainable use
• National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan
  (NBSAP)
• mainstream island biodiversity into sustainable
  development strategies

6
Regional priorities and partnerships

• Pacific Plan endorsed by Pacific Islands leaders
  Forum
• To improve regional coordination on sustainable
  development (reference to biodiversity protection
  and sustainable use)
• Action Strategy for Nature conservation in the
  Pacific Islands 2003-2007
• Targets and actions for environment, society and
  economy Roundtable government, NGO partnership
• Pacific Islands regional Oceans Policy and
  framework for Integrated Strategic Action
• To ensure the future sustainable use of our
  oceans and its resources by pacific Islands
  communities and external partners. Marine Sector
  Working Group

7
SPREP at a glance

• Established under the SPREP Convention
• Environment Ministers Forum and Meeting of
  Officials
• Secretariat to the Apia/SPREP convention
• 25 member countries (PICTs including French
  territories, OZ, NZ US, France as observer)
• to promote cooperation in the Pacific islands
  region and to provide assistance in order to
  protect and improve the environment and to ensure
  sustainable development for present and future
  generations

8
SPREP strategic framework

• Action Plan for managing the environment if the
  Pacific island Region 2005-2009
• People of the Pacific islands better able to
  plan, protect, manage and use their environment
  for sustainable development
• Strategic Programmes 2004-2013
• Island Ecosystems (terrestrial, coastal and
  marine ecosystems, species of special interest)
• Pacific Futures (climate change, waste management
  and marine pollution, sustainable development)

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Coastal and marine ecosystems

• Objective
• promote and support the sustainable management
  and conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems
  and marine species of special interest
• Key activities
• ICRAN funded SPREP component of Coral Reef
  Initiative in the South Pacific (CRISP)
• Regional initiative under Ramsar
• CMS MoU on marine Mammals
• Year of the sea Turtle 2006
• Progressing the regional oceans policy through
  the MSWG

10
SPREP and CRISP

• Approach
• Work closely with CRISP partners
• Facilitate on going national engagement in CRISP
• Build on existing knowledge/successes/lessons
  learnt
• Equip SPREP countries to maximise benefits of
  CRISP initiative
• Focus of SPREP action
• Capacity for integrated governance of coastal and
  marine resources at national level
• Increase profileintegration of coastal and
  marine resources in sustainable development
  agendas with policy makers
•  Dissemination of CRISP and results/know how to
  policy makers and coastal managers
• Capacity and access to appropriate methodologies
  technologies (Knowledge/training/networks/livelih
  oods)

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Challenges, gaps and opportunities

• Integration of biodiversity and sustainable
  resource management at regional and national
  levels
• Improve regional coordination through Pacific
  Forum marine Sector working group
• Promote the incorporation of regional oceans
  policy principles into National sustainable
  Development Strategies
• Improve national capacity for effective
  integration at national level
• Sustainability of community based initiatives
• Facilitate and support development of policy and
  legislative framework for long term support (eg
  networks of MPA)
• Encourage government/community partnerships
• Sustainable livelihoods
• Strengthening community based institutions and
  traditional management systems

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Challenges, issues and opportunities

• Areas needed support and greater coordination
• Climate change (Resilience, Adaptability of
  management systems)
• Marine invasive species management
• land based marine pollution (Hilltops2oceans)
• Emerging issues
• Oceans/High seas biodiversity (Seamounds, valuing
  oceans, access and benefit sharing, C credits)

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Concluding remarks

• Regional partnerships key mechanism
• for effective integration of protection of
  biodiversity and sustainable resource use
• To engage countries in setting the regional
  agenda on common and transboundary issues
• To engage broad range of regional and
  international partners (eg private sector,
  churches)
• To facilitate access to resources
• egRegional partnerships on oceans policy and
  Action Strategy on Nature Conservation

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Concluding remarks

• Expectations from ICRI
• Greater strategic focus action orientation
• Greater interaction with regional programmes
• Facilitating access to resources (eg technical,
  financial)
• Support Pacific Island countries in international
  fora to implement the regions priorities and
  programmes