TropicalCoast 4th new indd

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Tropical Coasts

4.  Shape economic development 

compatible with biodiversity 

conservation;

5.  Enhance understanding of     

biodiversity resources and factors 

aff ecting them to form a basis for 

management decisions;

6.  Develop communication, 

education and outreach 

programmes and strategies 

to motivate people to take 

conservation action;

7.  Develop sustainable fi nancing 

mechanisms to support the cost 

of conservation and resource 

management;

8.  Build and enhance the capacity of 

stakeholders to eff ectively manage 

the conservation of the SSME;

9.  Implement coordinated protection 

of threatened marine species to 

ensure maintenance of viable 

populations and protection of 

critical habitats; and

10. Improve coastal, oceanic and 

other types of fi sheries resource 

conditions and management by 

developing a framework strategy, 

institutions and appropriate 

interventions. 

Intergovernmental 

Coordination Mechanisms

In Sulu-Sulawesi Seas, the 

formulation of a vision was a technical 

exercise while the development of 

the conservation plan was a political 

process. The latter then required the 

establishment of inter-governmental 

mechanisms that would set the tone 

for the establishment of a formal tri-

national management body. 

The case of Sulu-Sulawesi Seas showed 

three stages in the formation of a 

tri-national governance.  The fi rst 

one covered the period January-June 

2003 when interim mechanisms were 

put in place within each country and 

across countries to ensure coordinated 

development of the ECP. Lead 

agencies from the Indonesian National 

Committee for SSME, the Malaysian 

Technical Working Group for SSME 

Development Programme, and the 

Philippine Presidential Commission 

Tri-National Committee

(5-6 delegates/country)

Current Chair: Malaysia, Ministry of Agriculture 

and Food Industries (MAFI)

Species Subcommittee

Lead: Indonesia, Ministry of Marine 

Aff airs and Fisheries (MMAF)

 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)/

Networks Subcommittee

Lead: Philippines, Department of Environment and 

Natural Resources (DENR)

 Sustainable Fisheries 

Subcommittee

Lead: Malaysia, DOF-Ministry of Agriculture 

and Food Industries (MAFI)

Figure 1. Country-level governance and representation in the Tri-National Committee for Sulu-  

Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion.

   

Country-level governance:

Indonesia

• 

: Technical Working Group and National Committee for SSME [Ministry of Marine Aff airs and Fisheries (MMAF) - 

Lead and Head of Delegation, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, World Wide Fund for 

Nature] 

Malaysia

• 

: Technical Working Group for SSME [Department of Fisheries (DOF)-Sabah, Ministry of Agriculture and Food 

Industries (MAFI) - Lead and Head of Delegation, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Sabah Parks, 

Sabah Wildlife Department, Fisheries Department-Malaysia, University of Malaysia Sabah, Sabah Forestry Department,  

World Wide Fund for Nature]

Philippines

• 

: Philippine Presidential Commission for the Integrated Conservation and Development of Sulu-Celebes Seas 

or PCSCDSCS [Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - Lead and Head of Delegation, Department of 

Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, Philippine Council for 

Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD), Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Aff airs, World Wide Fund for 

Nature, Conservation International, Department of Foreign Aff airs]

---

6

July 2008

for the Integrated Conservation and 

Development of Sulu-Celebes Seas 

served as members for a Tri-National 

Technical Working Group (TWG) for 

the SSME. These mechanisms were 

responsible for the completion of the 

ECP development in June 2003. 

The second stage started with the 

termination of the Tri-National TWG 

and the formation of another interim 

intergovernmental mechanism, 

called the Preparatory Committee 

(PrepCom) for SSME. The Prep-Com, 

which included the original members 

of the Tri-National TWG as well as other 

government and NGO representatives 

from the respective countries’, was 

seen as an appropriate mechanism for 

facilitating the adoption of the ECP 

among the SSME countries. During its 

term (June 2003 to February 2006), 

the Prep-Com was able to facilitate the 

adoption of the ECP, the ratifi cation of 

the tri-national MOU on the adoption 

of the ECP, and the formation of a tri-

national governance mechanism. 

On 13 February 2004, Ministers 

representing each of the countries 

signed a tri-national Memorandum of 

Understanding adopting the ECP and 

providing for the formation of a tri-

national governance arrangement for 

the implementation of the ECP.  (Editor’s 

note: The MOU is featured in page 34.). 

The Preparatory Committee continued 

to facilitate the ratifi cation of the 

tri-national MOU in each of the SSME 

countries. The Government of Malaysia 

ratifi ed the MOU in January 2005, the 

Philippine Government in June 2005, 

and the Indonesian Government in 

February 2006. The MOU will remain in 

eff ect until 23 February 2016.  The last 

meeting of the PrepCom drafted the 

terms of reference of the Tri-National 

Committee for SSME on 29 February 

2006. The Tri-National Committee for 

the SSME was formally established on 1 

March 2006. This was the fi nal stage in 

the formation of the SSME governance 

arrangement.

Over the course of the following two 

years and fi ve months, the Tri-National 

Committee for the SSME met on three 

occasions. Major outcomes of these 

three meetings have been:

1.  The fi nalization of the Terms of 

Reference of the Tri-National 

Committee;

2.  The establishment of three 

technical/scientifi c subcommittees 

to respond to major issues in the 

SSME, namely:

a. Sustainable Fisheries 

Subcommittee: fi sheries, 

aquaculture, living aquatic 

resources use, trade and 

livelihood systems;

b.  MPAs and Networks 

Subcommittee: identifi cation, 

establishment and 

management of MPAs, 

including caves and wetlands; 

and

c.  Endangered, Charismatic 

and Migratory Species 

Subcommittee: protection and 

management of endangered, 

Box 1.    Subcommittee on the Endangered, Charismatic and Migratory 

Species (Marine Turtle).*

Goal: To provide technical advice and recommendations to improve the policies on 

the protection and management of endangered, charismatic and migratory species 

and their habitats in order to maintain the full range of biodiversity and provide for the 

long-term socioeconomic and cultural needs of human communities in the SSME.

Objective 1: Develop technical advice and recommendations on marine turtle 

management and protection in nesting, feeding and developmental habitats.

Objective 2: Develop technical advice and recommendations on marine turtle 

management and protection through overfi shing or as by-catch in specifi c fi sheries or 

fi shing gear types.

Objective 3: Develop technical advice and recommendations on specifi c features/

criteria in MPA design and MPA-network design in relation to the protection and 

management of marine turtles in SSME waters. 

Objective 4: Disseminate information generated from country reports and other 

relevant sources and promote the implementation of the best practices for, and 

successes/learnings in, marine turtle population and habitat conservation and 

management in the SSME.

*   The Subcommittee shall work on Marine Turtles, Napoleon Wrasse, Cetaceans and 

Elasmobranchs. For the period 2007-2009, it will be concentrating on marine turtles. 

Box 2.    Subcommittee on Marine Protected Areas and Networks.

Goal: Conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity in the Sulu-Sulawesi 

Marine Ecoregion through the establishment and eff ective management of MPAs and 

Networks.

Objective 1: Support the eff ective management of existing and new MPAs and 

networks and to maintain the full range of sustainable marine resources and provide 

the long-term socioeconomic and cultural needs of human communities in the SSME.

Objective 2: Support the establishment of new MPAs  and Networks in the context of 

ecosystem-based management.

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