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Towards Integrated National Ocean Policy in the South Pacific

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Towards Integrated National Ocean Policy in the South Pacific Towards Integrated National Ocean Policy in the South Pacific Competing and Conflicting Issues in Ocean Policy: Solomon Islands Mr. Rudolfo Dorah 2007-2008 UN-Nippon Fellow Solomon Islands DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this paper are those of the author except where referenced and acknowledged. The paper does not hold the official views either of the United Nations, The Nippon Foundation of Japan, the Government of Solomon Islands, and the Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy, University of Delaware. The author is responsible for the flaws and views expressed in the paper. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to acknowledge the support of those who have made this fellowship possible. I would like to thanked the Director of the Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOLAOS), United Nations, Mr Vladimir Golitsyn, Dr Francois Bailet, Program Advisor (DOALOS), Professor Biliana Cicin-Sain, (first 6 months placement supervisor), Director of Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy, and staff of the Center, Dr Miriam Balgos, Shelby, Katya, Lindsey, and Peter Edwards. I would like to register profound gratitude to the government of Solomon Islands, especially Mr. Selu Maezama, Director of National Training Unit, Ministry of Education, and Mr. Jeremiah Manele, Permanent Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, for support towards this fellowship. This research would not have taken place with out the financial support of the Nippon Foundation of Japan. 3 ABSTRACT It has been over twenty years since UNCLOS came into existence and twelve years since it came into force, in addition to fourteen years since the historic “Earth Summit” was convened in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, yet the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are finding it extremely difficult to deal with many cross-cutting and multiple issues relating to ocean management. The challenge for the Pacific SIDS is clear, successive international, regional and national initiatives emphasizing sustainable environmental development and ocean management have no real impact at the rural communities’ level. This paper examines the challenges facing Solomon Islands in the development of an Integrated National Ocean Policy, and offer recommendation guidelines as to how to design an Integrated National Ocean Framework so as to contribute to the effort to ensure that all benefits derived from the oceans are sustainable and reach through to the local communities. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS DISCLAIMER............................................................................................................................... 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................ 3 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... 4 PART I: TOWARDS INTEGRATED NATIONAL OCEAN POLICIES I. How far have we gone since UNCLOS and Rio?................................................... 9 II. Nature of the Problem: Rationale........................................................................ 11 III. What is Integrated National Oceans Policy? ...................................................... 15 IV. Objective............................................................................................................. 21 V. Content of the Paper............................................................................................. 22 PART II: GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE PACIFIC REGION........................... 23 I. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 23 II. Geographical Realities ........................................................................................ 25 A. Climate.................................................................................................... 25 B. Coastline.................................................................................................. 25 III. Political Realities .............................................................................................. 26 IV. Economic Realities ............................................................................................ 28 A. Foreign Direct Investment ..................................................................... 28 B. SPARTECA ............................................................................................ 29 C. GNP as a Mask against the reality of vulnerability................................. 29 D. Official Development Assistance (ODA) .............................................. 29 V. The Pacific Ocean Realities ............................................................................... 31 A. Shipping Sector....................................................................................... 31 B. Tourism Sector ........................................................................................ 32 C. Fisheries Sector ....................................................................................... 35 D. Tuna concentration, migratory range and current status......................... 36 PART III: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED REGIONAL OCEAN POLICY IN THE PACIFIC ................................................................................................................ 38 PACIFIC REGIONALISM ............................................................................................. 38 I. The Development of the Pacific’s Regional Oceans Policy................................ 38 5 II. Lessons from Club Theory for deeper Pacific Regional Cooperation. .............. 39 III. Regional Practices in the Pacific....................................................................... 41 A. Council of Regional Organizations in the Pacific (CROP)..................... 42 B. Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)................................................ 44 C. Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)........................................... 45 D. South Pacific Geoscience Commission (SOPAC).................................. 47 E. South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP)......................... 49 F. The University of the South Pacific (USP)............................................... 51 G. South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO). ......................................... 52 H. South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA)......................................... 53 REGIONAL FISHERIES INSTRUMENTS ............................................................... 56 I. The Harmonized Minimum Terms and Conditions of Access II. Regional Register of Foreign Fishing Vessels ................................................ 57 III. Treaty on Long driftnet Fishing..................................................................... 57 IV. Niue Treaty on Cooperation in Fisheries Surveillance and Law V. U.S. Fisheries Multilateral Treaty.................................................................. 59 SUB-REGIONAL FISHERIES ARRANGEMENTS .................................................. 61 I. The Nauru Agreement Concerning Co-operation in the Management of II. The Palau Arrangement for the Management of Purse Seine Fishery in III. The Federated States of Micronesia Arrangement for Regional Fisheries IV. Tuna Management Plans............................................................................... 66 V. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 66 PART IV: DEVELOPMENT OF PACIFIC REGIONAL OCEAN POLICY...... 68 I. Introduction .................................................................................................... 68 II. Evolution of the Pacific Regional Oceans Policy Framework....................... 69 III. Policy Development Process......................................................................... 73 A. Policy Environment................................................................................ 73 IV. Policy Process............................................................................................... 75 A. Regional Process......................................................................... 75 V. Major Principles in Integrated National Ocean Policy .................................. 79 V1. Ocean Governance ....................................................................................... 82 A. Integrated Principle................................................................................ 82 B. Sustainable Principle.............................................................................. 83 C. Stewardship and Ownership................................................................... 84 D. Ecosystem Based Management Approach............................................. 84 VII. Institutional Arrangements.......................................................................... 88 A. Improve governance of coasts and the ocean......................................... 90 B. Improving our understanding of the ocean ........................................... 91 C. Sustainable development and management............................................ 91 D. Maintaining the health of the ocean...................................................... 92 E. Promoting the peaceful use of the ocean............................................... 92 F. Creating partnerships and promoting cooperation.................................. 92 VIII. Institutional Implementation- The First
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