Remember we are not managing the ocean, but the behavior of the people who use the ocean!

Transcription

1 TOWARDS INTEGRATED NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC: Solomon Islands. Competing & Conflicting Issues in Ocean Policy Rudolf H. Dorah UN-The Nippon of Japan Foundation Fellow ( Remember we are not managing the ocean, but the behavior of the people who use the ocean!

2 Presentation Outline 1. HOW FAR HAVE WE GONE SINCE UNCLOS & RIO? GLOBAL LEVEL PACIFIC CONTEXT Geographical Realities Political Realities Economic Realities Ocean Realities 2. TOWARDS INTEGRATED OCEAN POLICY: Conceptualization Rationale Objective 3. TOWARDS AN INTEGRATE REGIONAL OCEAN POLICY IN THE PACIFIC Development of the PIROP Evolution of the Policy? The Policy Environment Policy Process Major Principles Adopted Institutional Arrangements 4. DEVELOPMENT OF SOLOMON ISLAND NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY: ISSUES

3 BACKGROUND UNCLOS Relevant provisions of UNCLOS related to Ocean Policy are: 1. Living Marine Resources: Part V (EEZ) Art 61-73, Part VII ( High Seas), Section 2, Art & Annex 1. ( Rights and Obligations of States, Annex 1 (types of highly migratory species) 2. Non-Living Marine resources: Part XII, Protection and Preservation of the marine environment (12 Sec), Sources of pollutions, Art 145 protection of the Environment from the area. UNCED UNCED reinforces UNCLOS, deals with new challenges, and also set new targets for states to accomplish including 1. Deals with Climate change 2. Support full ratification and implementation of UNCLOS 3. Agenda 21, Ch 17, Sustainable Development (27 principles of sustainable development). Of particular relevance to this thesis is Chapter 17, programmes C and D of Agenda 21 which specifically look at the sustainable use and resource management and conservation of marine resources.

4 BACKGROUND CONT UNCLOS Marine Scientific Research: All of Part XIII ( 6 Sec) deals with MSR within EEZ and the high seas. International cooperation is encouraged to strengthen developing states capabilities, and call for scientific data obtained to be disseminated. No research to be carried out with out authorization Technology Transfer: Part XIV, provides international cooperation in supporting the needs of developing countries. UNCLOS did not deal with climate change and sea level rise. UNCED Chapter 17 recognizes that the marine environment, including the oceans and all seas and adjacent coastal areas, forms an integrated whole that is an essential component of the global life support system and a positive asset that presents opportunities for sustainable development. To achieve that, Programme C charges states to take effective action which includes bilateral and multilateral co- operation to ensure that high seas fishery resources are managed in accordance with the UNCLOS. ( IUU, overcapacity etc) Part D really promote Eco-system based management as oppose to a legal approach (UNCLOS).

5 HOW FAR HAVE WE GONE SINCE UNCLOS AND UNCED? While a number of developed countries have made significant advances in establishing National Ocean Policies frameworks in the last decade, majority of developing countries & LDCs remains far behind. A study conducted by the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands, 2006) on the establishment of National Ocean Policies (GFOCI) revealed that; - 6 countries are in the policy implementation stage - 5 countries are in the policy formulation stage - 5 countries are in the policy preparation stage

6 Global Glance NATIONAL OCEAN POLICIES ( Cicin-Sain et.al.2006) Implementation Stage 1. AUSTRALIA 2. BRAZIL 3. CANADA 4. CHINA 5. UK 6. RUSSIAN FEDERATION Policy Preparation Stage 1. INDIA 2. JAPAN 3. MEXICO 4. PHILIPPINES 5. VIETNAM Policy Formulation Stage 1. NEW ZEALAND 2. JAMAICA 3. NORWAY 4. PORTUGAL 5. UNITED STATES REGIONAL LEVEL 1. Pacific Regional Ocean Policy and Integrated Strategic Action Plan

7 Global Glance Out of the six (6) countries in the implementation stage, none is from South East Asia, Africa, Latin America, & Caribbean ( also Pacific Island individual states). East Asia, Africa and Pacific States are also missing in the Policy formulation stage, with the exception of the Caribbean being represented by Jamaica Most countries are either in the initial preparation stage or have not started. (Global Global Ocean Forum 2004)

8 Why Ocean Policy? Global Level Oceans compose 72% of the earth surface Coasts contains more than 50% of human population 70% of mega cities ( greater than 8 million) are coastal 44 of the world s s nation are small island developing states coasts yield 90% of global fisheries on which 400 million fishers rely 90% of world trade moves by ship Travel and Tourism is the largest industry in the world, much of it is related to coasts and marine areas Over 25% of the world s s energy supplies are produced in the ocean areas offshore Coral reef resources contribute almost $375 billion to the world s economy Cicin-Sain et.al.2004.

9 Pacific Island Context

10 Why Ocean Policy for PICs? Geographical, Political & Economic Realities Pacific region consist of 22 Island countries & territories dotted over a vast ocean, out of which only 9 are politically independent and the rest have political associated relations with certain metropolitan states such as: - USA, FR, AUST, NZ, & UK Pacific ocean covers one third of the earth surface or about half the area covered by water and one fifth more than all land put together. This area is calculated to encompass an area equivalent to four times the land mass of Australia, three times that of the United States and Several times the size of western Europe. Pacific Region

11 SOUTH PACIFIC COUNTRIES PRINCIPAL PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC FEATURES State Land Area ( 000 Sq.km) Sea Area ( 000 Sq. Km) Est Populat. ( 000) Density Person/ sq.km Annual Growth % Total GDP (A$ 000) Per Capita (US$) (1994) Year Cook Is , ,224 4, FSM 701 2, ,000 1, Fiji 18,272 1, ,715,652 2, Kiribati 690 3, , Marshalls 181 2, ,682 1, Nauru ,250 4, Niue ,347 3, Palau ,831 3, PNG 462,243 3,120 4, ,853,623 1, Samoa 2, , Sol. Is. 27,5567 1, , Tonga ,000 1, Tuvalu ,386 1, Vanuatu 12, ,000 1, Source: SPC, Economics Statistical Bulletin, 1993 and Foreign Investment Climate in South Pacific Forum Island Countries, Forum Secretariat, 1995.

12 Why Ocean Policy conti The total landmass of square kilometers compared with a total sea boundary of 30, 569,000 square kilometers. BIOLOGICAL & MINERAL DEPOSITS ( EEZ, ECS) The Pacific Ocean has both the potential for living and non-living resources, and the ocean serves as an important medium of transport. Shipping caters for about 85-90% of total Pacific trade. As for the non-living resources, research is continuing into the rich seabed minerals which at present have an estimated economic value of trillions of dollars. Gillett R.D., 2002.

13 Why Ocean Policy Mineral including oil & gas and deep sea biological surveys

14 Why Ocean Policy FISHERIES For most Pacific Island countries, fish and fishery related food consumption is as high as 70% with a total estimated subsistence capture of mt per year. These catches are from the coastal fisheries alone. As far as the offshore pelagic fishery especially with tuna fisheries, estimates 70 percent (3.2 million tonnes) of the world annual tuna catch is taken from the WCPO region. Knowing also that despite the Pacific region is the largest supplier of world tuna trade (1.8 million metric tons), yet only a fraction of the total value is retained in the region. It was reported that in 1998, the landed value of tuna caught in WCPO region was estimated at US$1.92 billion, and out of that about US$1.3 billion was the value of tuna caught within the EEZ of the e PICs, which represents about 68%. However, only about 11% is retain by the PICs. P Most of it is consumed by the DWFNs,, who invested heavily in the harvesting, processing and marketing of tuna. Van Saten and Miller, 2000

15 Why Ocean Policy.. SHIPPING SECTOR Over ninety-five percent (95%) of Trade from either outside to the region, or o within the region and, or within an island state itself is conducted cted through shipping services. However, the issues and concerns associated with the Pacific SIDS S shipping, and especially, inter-island island shipping are; safe and secure shipping to meet international standards, cleaner seas, improved social and economic well-being of seafaring communities, building proper wharfs, and safety at sea. The current capacity of Pacific Islanders to manage, administer, regulate, control and gain employment in the maritime transport sector in a socially ly responsible manner is weak.

16 Why Ocean Policy TOURISM SECTOR The Pacific SIDS possesses some astounding magnificent sceneries of islands, beaches, lagoons, and unique coastal areas that attract tourism developments. Tourism has been steadily progressing in the Polynesian Island States S of the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Niue,, and the nearby French territory of French Polynesia (Tahiti). Polynesia 74%-80% of GDP Micronesia 40%-60% Melanesia -20% 20%-50% An emerging issue that has the potential to threaten the growth of tourism in the Pacific region is the increasing rate of loss of biodiversity. The whole region is under threat by the loss of biodiversity, as reported by the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP) that almost 50% of the regions biodiversity is at risk. Sea Level Rise and Climate change pauses major threats

17 Why Ocean Policy The loss of biodiversity means the ecosystem resilience, the ability of an ecosystem to withstand change, has fallen dramatically. Small island ecosystems are by nature, highly fragile and vulnerable to external disturbances. Their resilience, is dependent on ecological and economic (including tourism) diversity. It has been pointed out that unsustainable practices, excessive population pressure, ill- conceived policies and fragmented planning have reduced ecological diversity making small changes much more likely to result large scale and irreversible changes in areas like water quality, fish population, coral bleaching and the emergence of dead zones in coastal waters Louise Twining-Ward, 2005

18 Towards an Integrated Ocean Policy What is IOP? Considerable scholarly literary work has been produced in the recent past in defining the concept of integrated or integration in conjunction to marine management (Sorensen and McCreary 1990, FAO 1991, Chua 1993 and Cicin-Sain and Robert W. Knecht 1998.) But as far as National Oceans Policies goes, the term is closely y linked to the notion of ocean governance in general. As defined by Cicin-Sain and Knecht W. R in The Future of U.S. Oceans Policy (2000), ocean governance has been defined as the architecture and make up of the regime used to govern behavior, public and private, relative to an ocean area and the resources and activities contained there in The conceptualization of the term integrate in National Oceans Policy framework seemed to denote a more overarching regime with a cross cutting well defined ed role at the national level. A clear distinction from past management regimes is its cross cutting and well defined component which herald a more holistic approach. Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) ) is defined as a a continuous and dynamic process by which decisions are made for the sustainable use, development, and a protection of coastal and marine areas and resources The application of the concept integrated in the above definition serves as a link between the marine and ocean realm on one side, to sustainable development on the other, through a management and development process that recognizes the distinctive characteristics of the marine and ocean ecosystem, and the importance of conserving it for current rent and future generations.

19 Towards IOP.. ICM the goals of integrated management are to achieve sustainable development of coastal and marine areas,, to reduce vulnerability of coastal areas and their inhabitants to natural hazards,, and to maintain essential ecological process, life supporting systems, and biological diversity in coastal and marine areas Cicin-Sain et.al

20 Towards IOP the concept integrated implies a process that is designed to overcome the fragmentation inherent in both sectoral management approach and the splits in jurisdiction among levels of government. It is a realization that any management and developmental activity ty that is going to take place in the marine and ocean ecosystem must fully acknowledged that the biological-life life support systems that exist in the marine and ocean environment are intertwined, not only between themselves, es, but also with the land and land based developments. Hence, it has called for management frameworks that would provide the mechanisms to ensure developments in the oceans and coastal areas are not too harmful to the environment,, thereby destroys the natural ability of the environment to replenish itself. Hence, sustainable development could be realized HOW DO WE DEFINE IOP?

21 Towards IOP Problem of enquiry: Indeed, much of today s s unsustainable developmental results are a clear testimony of increasing failures by economic development approaches that are one-sided, top-down and are highly sectoral. Economic development approaches that are not multipurpose in nature have not included many important stakeholders, interest groups and communities. Such approaches have not recognized the link between sustainable environmental management and economic development. Therefore, it often sadly results in unsustainable developments which in many developing countries have caused political and economic chaos.

22 Towards IOP.. IOP a a dynamic national process of decision making, frameworks and action plans, which fully recognized the need for integration through cooperation across all sectors, in the firm believe that the welfare of humans is totally dependent on the ecological integrity of the marine, and oceans systems, and destroying the latter will lead to the destruction of the former

23 Objective To: formulate a model of Integrated National Oceans Policy framework in the Solomon Islands, as a member of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Pacific region, through the assessment of current regional and state practices.

24 Pacific Regional Ocean policy The Pacific Regional Ocean Policy was developed upon a long successful foundation of regional inter-governmental Organizations specializes in different areas regarding the ocean. 1. Forum Secretariat (FS) 2. Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) 3. Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (PIFFA) 4. South Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) 5. South Pacific Environmental Programme (SPREP) 6. South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) 7. University of the South Pacific (USP)

25 E.g. Fisheries ( Tuna) Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Regional Level Harmonized Minimum Terms and Conditions of Access for Foreign Fishing Vessels (1983) Regional Register of Foreign Fishing Vessels (1983) Treaty on Long Driftnet Fishing Niue Treaty on Cooperation in Fisheries Surveillance and Law Enforcement in the South Pacific Region (1992) Right- Based Management (2000) Fisheries Taxation (2001) US Fisheries Multilateral Treaty (1982) WCPFC Tuna Commission (2005)

26 Fisheries cont Sub-regional The Nauru Agreement Concerning Co-operation operation in the Management of Fisheries of the Common Interests, The Palau Arrangement for the Management of Purse Seine Fishery in the Western Pacific (1982) The Federated States of Micronesia Arrangement for Regional Fisheries Access (1994) Tuna Management Plans

27 Formulation of PROP Late 1990s saw increasing international pressures towards adopting the Eco-system based management Motivated by UNCLOS(1982), UNCED (Ch.17) 1992), Barbados Plan of Action, Jakarta Mandate on Biodiversity (1995), Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (2002) 1994 UNFSA 1994 The need to implement UNCLOS 1995 SPOCC Review identify the overlapping areas & need for greater coordination 1998 Pacific Regional Submission to Commission on Sustainable Development 1999 Pacific Leaders Forum- endorsed the formulation of PIROP PIROP Conference, 2003, PIROP Launched

28 A Paradigm Shift or Evolution? Current Mandates Individual Species Protection Narrow Perspective & Scale Human Activities Evaluated for Individual activities Resource Management by Sectors Scientific Monitoring programs Focused narrowly Single Use and Purpose Observations Focus on Managing Ecosystem parts Evolving Mandates Multiple Species Broad Perspective & Scale Humans Integral to Ecosystem Integrated Resource Management Adaptive Management Based On Scientific Monitoring Shared and Standardized Observations Focus on Ecosystem Relationships, Processes, and Tradeoffs

29 Integrated Regional Ocean Policy non-symmetrical Fishery Management Protected Resource Management (MMPA, ESA, Sea Birds etc.) interaction Water Quality Management (EPA, states, etc.) Coastal & EEZ Modifications, Energy (COE, MMS, etc.) Need for coordination Other management authorities for navigation, food quality/safety, International agreements, climate change, etc.

30 Towards Solomon Islands Integrated National Ocean Policy SOLOMON ISLANDS

31 Solomon Islands

32 Why Integrated Ocean Policy? Ratify UNCLOS in 1987 We claim (1) archipelagic waters (2) the Territorial Waters, and (3, 200 Exclusive Economic Zone Solomon Islands Fully welcomed UNCLOS due mainly to Tuna Resources Lack of Coordinated Approach at the National Level to provide the overall advisory service to both the Government and Private sector Lack of integrated frameworks in place to harmonize the existing sectoral management approaches, deal with conflicting legal jurisdictional overlaps and gaps in the current system.

33 Rich Tuna Waters

34 Maritime Boundary In 1978, the year of independence, the government declared the Archipelagic A Order of Solomon Islands as comprising five (5) main archipelagos s including the following; (1) The main group archipelago are: Shortlands,, Treasury Islands, Choiseul Islands, New Georgia Islands, Santa Isabel Islands, Dai Island, Russell Islands, Florida Islands, Malaita Islands, Guadalcanal Island, Makira Island, Santa Catalina Islands, Santa Ana Island and Ulawa Island. (2) The Rennell, Bellona and Indispensable Reef Atoll Archipelago which includes Rennell Island, 2) Bellona Island, 3) Indispensable Reef Atoll. (3) The Ontong Java Group Archipelago (Ontong( Java Atoll), (4) The Santa Cruz Islands Archipelago (Santa Cruz Islands) and (5) The Duff Islands Archipelago (Duff Islands). According to the Act of 1979, Archipelago means a group of Isla According to the Act of 1979, Archipelago means a group of Islands, including parts of islands, inter-connecting waters and other natural features form an intrinsic geographical entity, and which has been declared by the e Minister by Order published in the Gazette to be an archipelago. SI archipelagic Order 1979 (Act of 1979).

35 Maritime Boundary Solomon Islands and France (New Caledonia) Boundary -Solomon Island entered into an Agreement on Maritime Boundary with the French Territory of New Caledonia and reached an agreement on 12 November 1990.[1] The agreement was signed and entered into force on the same date. However, there is a need on the part of the two party to check whether data used is still valid to allow for formal negotiations and settlement of the agreement pertaining to the boundary. Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Boundary -Solomon Islands entered into formal negotiations concerning her Maritime boundary with the Republic of Vanuatu in the 1980s, but there was s insufficient data to support any formal settlement of the boundary.[2] The need now is to checked all current available data and ensure their validity before formalizing ing any agreement. Solomon Islands and Fiji Boundary -Solomon Islands have never had any formal border agreement with the Republic of Fiji, hence there is a need to collect data and prepare for possible p maritime boundary negotiations on that boundary.

36 Maritime Boundary Solomon Islands and Australia Boundary Solomon Islands and Australia entered into an Agreement Establishing Certain Sea and Seabed Boundaries on 13 September 1988.[1] It came into force on 14 April Since then, there has never been any follow up work, which again need revisit and check whether data is correct before full renegotiation ion to reach an acceptable equidistance agreement.

37 Maritime Boundary and Continental Shelf

38 Need For An Integrated National Coordinated Office for Ocean Policy in Solomon Islands The need to ensure sustainability of ocean resources in Solomon Islands The need to integrate ocean uses in Solomon Islands to deal with ocean use conflicts at all levels. The need to meet international and regional obligations The need to delimitate Solomon Islands Maritime Boundary with her neighbors The need to create an enabling environment to deal with climate change and the increase of natural distaters The need to change the current sectoral management systems to reflect the integrated nature of the coastal and oceanic ecosystems and the integrated human aspect of societies

39 Conclusion GOVERNMENTS AND INTEGRATED REGIME FOR OCEAN RESOURCES GOVERNANCE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS An Integrated National Ocean Policy is one that brings together all stakeholders in ocean management Government International Organisations Regional Organisations Civil Society NGOs Aid Donors Private Sector Scientific Sector Subsistence Sector Educational Institutions Churches and Religious Institutions

40 THANK YOU Rudolf H. Djorah