5
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.