| Timor-Leste Equipped with Tools to Implement Sustainable Fisheries Programs | Fisheries and coastal resource managers from government and non-government organizations in Timor-Leste learned how to better manage their sites after attending a three-day workshop in Dili on June 20-22, 2011 organized by the US CTI Support Program. The workshop enabled the 25 participants to apply two sustainable fisheries approaches - Integrated Coastal Management and Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management - and the corresponding tools and methods in their project sites. The participants also identified immediate actions that they will undertake to ensure that their sites are sustainably managed. Experts from the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia, the Pacific Command of the US Navy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration served as resource persons and helped organized the training. | 7/10/2011 11:02 PM |
| Fight Against Destructive Fishing Practices Strengthened | Twenty two government officers from nine municipalities in Palawan, Philippines increased their knowledge and skills in fighting illegal and destructive fishing activities after attending a Fish Examiners’ Training in Puerto Princesa City on June 20-22, 2011. The three-day training is the second phase of a12-day training conducted in May and will enable the officers to assist the police and the coast guard in determining, through scientific examinations, whether fish on-board commercial fishing vessels are caught illegally using explosives. Fishing boats found to have used explosives are not allowed to land in seaports and unload their catch. CTSP, working through WWF-Philippines, organized the training in cooperation with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard. | 7/10/2011 11:01 PM |
| Private Tour Companies Underscore Eco-Tourism Potential of Proposed MPA in Malaysia | Private tour operators in Malaysia highlighted the potential eco-tourism value of three sites in the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) in Sabah, Malaysia as well as the infrastructure needed to develop its full potential. The tour operators, who visited the site on June 16, 2011, noted that TMP has vast potential for coastal and dive activities, which
could generate sustainable livelihood for local communities and reduce their dependency on fishing activities. Inputs from the tour operators will be incorporated in the management plan for the proposed TMP which is currently being developed. CTSP, working through WWF-Malaysia, is supporting the establishment of the TMP as a multiple-use marine protected area (MPA). The proposed park covers more than one million hectares with 50 islands and more than 80,000 inhabitants and is home to rich marine biodiversity with 252 species of hard corals, 350 species of fish including endangered green sea turtles and dugongs.
| 7/10/2011 11:00 PM |
| US Ambassador to the Philippines Highlights Climate Change Awareness in Coastal Areas | US Ambassador to the Philippine Harry K. Thomas Jr. planted mangrove seedlings at the Ang Pulo mangrove conservation site at the Verde Island Passage (VIP) in Batangas, Philippines on April 28, 2011 as part of Earth Day and USAID’s 50th Anniversary celebrations. The Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), working through Conservation International in collaboration with the Municipality of Calatagan, supports the development of Ang Pulo as part of an overall plan to sustain the productivity of coastal ecosystems along the VIP through mangrove rehabilitation schemes that offer livelihood benefits while averting climate change risks such as coastal erosion. USAID Philippines Mission Director Gloria D. Steele and US Peace Corps Philippines Country Director Sonia Derenoncourt also planted mangrove seedlings together with local government officers and community members.
| 7/10/2011 10:59 PM |
| Science-Based Coastal and Marine Resource Management in the Philippines Gets A Boost | Twelve academics from universities located in US CTI Support Program priority geography sites in the Philippines underwent a two-week intensive training course covering physical and chemical oceanography, biology of coastal habitats, fisheries, climate change, and socioeconomic monitoring. The training, held on May 3-15, 2011, is part of a mentoring program designed to enhance the capacity of state colleges and universities and higher academic institutions in providing technical assistance to local government units in the implementation of the CTI National Plan of Action. At the end of the course, the participants developed proposals that would contribute to coastal resources management in their respective localities. Once approved, the proposals will be implemented by the participants with support from their academic mentors and CTSP, working through Conservation International and the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation. It is expected that the mentee academics and their institutions will be equipped with enough knowledge and skills to help address local coastal and marine resource management needs. | 7/10/2011 10:59 PM |
| Strengthening Our Role as Caretakers of the Sea, CTI Secretariat Message on World Oceans Day | On June 8, 2011, the Coral Triangle countries joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Oceans Day, an annual event to commemorate the vast resources of our oceans and what we can do to sustain them.
Attached is a message from Dr. Suseno Sukoyono, Vice Chair, Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Interim Regional Secretariat on how large-scale initiatives like the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF), though complex and requiring long-term commitment, show that with concerted efforts, clear goals, the best use of science and innovation, and shared responsibility, the world’s coral reefs and the biodiversity that it cradles and nurtures can be sustained for those of us who depend on it and as a legacy for future generations to come. | 6/16/2011 10:54 PM |
| CTSP Bolsters Implementation of Manus’ Ecological Plan | The Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), through WWF and The Nature Conservancy, has signed an agreement with the local government of Manus, Papua New Guinea to support the implementation of its five-year Provincial Ecological and Sustainable Development Plan which aims to strengthen the environmental protection and sustainability of the province’s 19 local government areas that make up Manus’ islands, atolls and surrounding reefs. CTSP will support the government in achieving key elements of the plan’s outcomes such as the development of a provincial climate change policy, enactment of a natural resource management law and building the capacity of local communities to manage and implement local conservation projects, among others. | 6/7/2011 1:21 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update May 2011 | The Monthly Update for May 2011 highlights the signing of a communique by local government leaders across the Coral
Triangle formalizing their commitment to advocate for stronger policies that protect marine resources. The update also underscores our activities to improve the management effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas across the region. | 6/7/2011 1:20 AM |
| Marine Survey in Bali Yields Nine New Species | A two-week marine survey conducted in May 2011 by scientists from the Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), working through Conservation International in Indonesia, led to the discovery of eight potentially new species of fish and a potentially new species of coral in the waters surrounding Bali. The survey was undertaken at the request of the Bali provincial government and the Indonesia Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Affairs to assess reef health and provide management recommendations for 25 protected areas proposed by stakeholders to be developed into a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in Bali. During the survey, scientists also observed that commercially important reef fish were severely depleted, plastic pollution was rampant and there were lapses in enforcement of rules in some MPAs. The scientists recommended the prioritization of areas that need enhanced protection, spatial planning to reduce the clash between marine tourism and many unsustainable fishing practices, stricter enforcement and increased public funding to manage MPAs and measures to manage pollution from plastics, sewage and agricultural runoff. | 6/6/2011 7:16 PM |
| Coral Reef Assessment Informs Spatial Planning in Berau | Scientists from the Berau District Fisheries and Marine Affairs Office and the Coral Triangle Support Partnership, working through The Nature Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Society, assessed coral reef health in 23 sites in Berau, East Kalimantan from May 4-13, 2011. During the assessment, scientists found coral reef degradation across the Berau Marine Protected Area, which is home to rich biodiversity including 347 coral species and a variety of rare marine animals such as dugong, the highly endangered Napoleon wrasse, the false killer whale, dolphins and sea turtles. Results and analysis from the monitoring activity will be presented to the District Government of Berau which will use the data as an input in developing its coastal spatial plan. | 6/6/2011 7:15 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update April 2011 | The April 2011 update focuses on our efforts to strengthen climate change adaptation capacity and to improve the implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in the Coral Triangle.
| 5/22/2011 11:40 PM |
| Coral Triangle’s Local Government Leaders Pledge to Protect Marine Resources. | On May 20, 2011, 36 local government leaders from the six Coral Triangle countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste – gathered in Wakatobi, Sulawesi, Indonesia and signed a communiqué formalizing their commitment to advocate for stronger policies that protect marine resources, promote awareness of the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) and share experiences and best practices to enhance their roles as good caretakers of their environment. The signing which capped the four-day CTI Mayors Roundtable held from May 16-19 this week, build on what has become known as the Wakatobi Commitment, a pledge made in December 2009 by local government leaders across Indonesia. The CTI Mayors Roundtable, supported by USAID’s US CTI Support Program, marks the next step in establishing the CTI Local Governance Network, an expanding group of local government leaders and associations across the Coral Triangle advocating for strengthened local environmental governance, sustainable coastal management, and community resiliency within the Coral Triangle - the world’s epicenter of marine biodiversity. | 5/22/2011 11:38 PM |
| Coral Triangle Countries Move Forward on Region-Wide System of Marine Protected Areas | Experts, practitioners and government representatives from across the Coral Triangle and around the world gathered in Batangas, Philippines on May 9-13, 2011 to develop and begin implementing a series of strategies that will strengthen the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) across the world’s epicenter of marine biodiversity and provide the foundation for the development of a region-wide Marine Protected Area System. Well-managed MPAs conserve biological diversity, protect fish spawning and nursery habitats, protect shorelines, serve as a platform for scientific research and eco-tourism, improve food security, and enhance the quality of life in surrounding communities. The participants also developed action plans to draft and test national MPA management effectiveness in selected MPAs in the Coral Triangle. USAID’s US CTI Support Program supported the workshop and helps strengthen the management and enforcement of MPA regulations in 17 priority sites across the Coral Triangle. | 5/22/2011 11:38 PM |
| Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Countries Gear Up for Action on Climate Change | Representatives of the CTI member states gathered in Honiara, Solomon Islands on April 14-21, 2011 for the Regional Exchange on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). The exchange, with assistance from the US CTI Support Program, focused on identifying tools and methods available for implementing early actions, vulnerability assessments, and adaptation strategies in the Coral Triangle, the most diverse marine ecosystem in the world. The CTI CCA Technical Working Group was convened for the first time during the exchange and drafted a decision memorandum for the Senior Government Officials on key CCA action items. CT6 delegates reviewed and finalized the CCA Regional Early Action Plan framework and identified early regional, national and sub-national actions under three priority adaptation themes, namely, coastal marine ecosystems, food security and livelihood, and coastal infrastructure. Science and climate change experts from NOAA, NASA, USAID, CI, TNC, and WWF participated in the event and shared their experiences. | 5/17/2011 12:53 AM |
| Local Communities Assess Radio Program on Climate Change | Six coastal barangays (villages) in Taytay, Palawan, Philippines conducted a review and evaluation of the radio program, Kalikasan at Buhay sa Tabing Dagat (Environment and Coastal Life). Held from April 4-11, the session allowed the participants to identify the strengths and pointers to improve not just the radio program but also the community discussions held for the last four months. Overall, the participants demonstrated an overwhelming appreciation of the program especially on climate change topics. The CTSP, through WWF-Philippines in partnership with the Foundation for Information Technology Education and Development supported the program to improve the community’s knowledge on climate change and coastal management. Similar activities were held in Quezon, Palawan and Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, which are both priority geographies of the Coral Triangle Initiative in the Philippines. | 5/17/2011 12:52 AM |
| Malaysian Fishers Learn Surveillance and Monitoring Techniques in the Philippines | Commercial fishermen from Sabah, Malaysia visited the Philippines in March 2011 to learn how to strengthen monitoring and implementation of fisheries laws. The fishermen, who are members of the Persatuan Pemilik Kapal Nelayan Kudat (Kudat Fishing Boat Owners Association), were accompanied by representatives from the Department of Fisheries Sabah, Sabah Parks and the Coral Triangle Support Partnership. The fishermen visited the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ Monitoring, Control and Surveillance station in Navotas, Manila to learn about the implementation of the Fisheries Observers Program (FOP). The FOP is implemented in 31 countries and provides training and support necessary for deploying observers on board commercial fishing vessels to collect fisheries data on by catch, catch composition and fishing gear configuration, among others. The Malaysian delegates are planning to implement its FOP at the proposed Tun Mustapha Park. “Tun Mustapha Park can be used as a model for fisheries management in Sabah, where collaborative management is implemented and management tools like Fisheries Observer Programme can be adapted to local situation and tried out,” said Lawrence Kissol, Head of Fisheries Marine Resource Management Section at the Department of Fisheries Sabah. | 5/17/2011 12:52 AM |
| Coral Triangle Center Receives Grant to Develop CTI Learning Network | The US CTI Support Program signed a grant agreement with the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) to support the CTI interim Regional Secretariat and the Coral Triangle countries in developing and facilitating CTI Regional Learning Networks. Established in 2000 and based in Bali, the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) was originally set up as the hub for The Nature Conservancy’s marine conservation program in support of Marine Protected Area networks in Indonesia and the Coral Triangle region. Since then, CTC has established itself as an independent regional training and learning center for marine conservation. It develops local and regional capacity for marine conservation through training and education; field testing and leveraging management practices; promoting learning networks and collective action; and developing public and private partnerships to address marine conservation issues. Under its grant, the CTC will address the need for customized training programs for stakeholders in the CT region that could be integrated, innovated, customized and sustained with a clear purpose and scope to help advance the goals of CTI. | 5/17/2011 12:52 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update March 2011 | This update highlights our efforts to strengthen effective management of Marine Protected Areas across the Coral Triangle region specifically our projects and activities in the one-million hectare proposed Tun Mustapha Park in Sabah, Malaysia. | 5/17/2011 12:51 AM |
| Community members in Southern Philippines Gather to Sustain Marine Resources | One hundred village (barangay) leaders, community-based law enforcement volunteers, local government officers, school teachers, police officers and members of the Philippine Marines gathered on March 12-13 in Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi in southern Philippines to craft a Marine Protected Area (MPA) management plan for their municipality. The plan included a corresponding law enforcement strategy and a strengthening program of the management team to ensure effective MPA management. CTSP, working through WWF-Philippines, supported the crafting of the management plan and continues to support activities that ensure effective MPA management in Sitangkai such as installation of marker buoys, information billboards, enforcement training and awareness-raising campaigns. | 4/18/2011 1:30 AM |
| Indonesian Government Officers’ Strengthen Capacity to Manage MPAs | Twenty–eight government officers from Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs (MMAF) working in 19 districts across the country learned how to effectively manage an MPA after attending a training course organized by the US CTI Support Program working through CTSP and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. The six-day training held on February 26 to March 5, 2011 focused on fisheries management, enforcement, education and sustainability of an MPA through eco-tourism. It was held in Belawan, Medan and included site visits to a mangrove forest and a fish market. Graduates from a similar training held last year in Belitung and Tegal were also on hand to provide first-hand experience on how to effectively manage MPAs in Indonesia.
| 4/18/2011 1:29 AM |
| New Facilities Boost Alternative Livelihood Options for Sabah Fishermen | Pulau Maliangin, a small island inside the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP), will have new facilities aimed to boost alternative sources of income for the islanders, which would in turn reduce their dependency on fishing and revive fish stocks in the area. The new facilities are supported by HSBC, Raleigh Borneo and CTSP working through WWF- Malaysia. Raleigh Borneo, an international youth volunteer and adventure group, has built a community workshop in the island that is a venue to make traditional handicrafts and also serves as a visitor center for tourists. Raleigh Borneo volunteers are also working with the Maliangin Community Association to make the island more tourist-friendly by building nine self-composting eco toilets, repairing the water feed system and designating a camping area. HSBC pitched in by supporting capacity development for the island residents. This boost for the island is part of the plan for collaborative management of the TMP, which aims to protect the marine resources and livelihoods of over 80,000 people living in the area. The park will be Malaysia’s largest marine park at 1.02 million hectares with 50 islands, including Pulau Maliangin.
| 4/17/2011 11:58 PM |
| Regional Learning Network Initiated to Build Evidence-Based Decision Making in the Coral Triangle | Sixty participants representing a range of governmental, academic, and non-governmental stakeholders from across the Coral Triangle met in Manila, Philippines on March 17-18, 2011 to initiate the design of a Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Regional Learning Network. Widely recognized as a critical need and referenced in the CTI Regional and National Plans of Action, the Learning Network design meeting was seen as a significant step in forging and strengthening linkages in the CTI between policy makers, scientists and practitioners. The Coral Triangle Center serving as the designated CTI interim Regional Secretariat’s service provider for Learning Networks through a grant under the US CTI Support Program facilitated the two day meeting. The event was hosted by the Government of the Philippines in coordination with the CTI Regional Secretariat followed and complimented ADB’s Knowledge Management and State of the Coral Triangle Report meetings held on March 15-16. Following the meeting, participating scientists and government officers from the Coral Triangle countries visited two communities in nearby Batangas Province to learn about a mangrove reforestation project that serves as a climate change adaptation strategy and as an eco-tourism site. “We the scientific community also need to take an interest in these
projects throughout the CTI to provide an impetus to involve all coastal communities to become active partners in the mission of protecting the great biodiversity of the Coral Triangle, a unique part of our natural inheritance,” said Augustine Mungkaje, a lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea and a participant at the CTI Learning Network Planning Meeting.
| 4/17/2011 11:58 PM |
| US Ambassador to Malaysia visits proposed Marine Park in Sabah | US Ambassador to Malaysia Paul W. Jones visited communities at the Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) on March 11, 2011 to learn more about marine conservation and sustainability activities supported by USAID’s US CTI Support Program through the Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) and implemented by WWF-Malaysia. Ambassador Jones engaged with students and community leaders to emphasize the global importance of TMP for its rich marine resources. The US CTI Support Program is supporting the establishment of the TMP as a multiple-use marine protected area. The proposed park encompasses more than one million hectares and is home to several endangered marine species and provides resource for major fisheries in Malaysia. Follow this link to see a video of the visit: www.youtube.com/user/usembassykl
| 4/17/2011 11:58 PM |
| CTSP Supports Youth Conservation Managers in PNG | CTSP Supports Youth Conservation Managers in PNG
CTSP, working through Conservation International, is nurturing the next generation of marine resource managers in Papua New Guinea (PNG) though its student internship program. A student from the Divine Word University in Port Moresby worked with CTSP’s team in Alotau from December 2010 to February 2011 learning about coral reef monitoring techniques and conducting resource assessment surveys. The student assisted in the production a brochure for the Nuakata Iabam-Pahilili Community Managed Marine Area that contained general information on the boundaries of the conservation areas and explanations on the importance of establishing well-managed marine protected areas. CI plans to expand the internship program to include other students from various universities and colleges in PNG.
| 3/18/2011 2:10 AM |
| Sabah Fishermen Learn About Alternative Livelihood Options | Over 60 stakeholders from government agencies, the private sector and local communities within the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) took part in an alternative livelihood workshop on February 8-9, 2011 aimed at exploring sustainable business opportunities within the Kudat-Banggi Priority Conservation Area. The workshop, organized by CTSP through WWF Malaysia, focused on alternative livelihood programs such as eco-tourism potential, fisheries, sea cucumber and virgin coconut oil processing and aimed to inspire participants to start their own alternative livelihood efforts. Participants visited kampungs (villages) inside the TMP that had successfully launched alternative livelihood projects such as a bee farm and a honey processing centre, a longhouse home stay, a small gong factory and a virgin coconut oil processing facility.
| 3/18/2011 2:09 AM |
| PNG Government Officers and Community Organizations Learn About EAFM | A total of 123 local community-based organization representatives and provincial government fisheries officers from Kavieng, Kimbe and Manus Provinces in Papua New Guinea learned about ecosystems approach to fisheries management after attending a training program on February 20-23, 2011. CTSP, working through The Nature Conservancy, organized the training which was held in Pere Village, Manus Province. The training followed a CTSP work planning meeting held in Manus and Madang on February 2 - 4, 2011 wherein CTSP agreed to support the Manus Provincial Government in its fisheries and climate change adaptation activities.
| 3/18/2011 2:08 AM |
| Spatial Planning in Marine Resource Management Strengthened in Malaysia | Government officers strengthened their capacity to utilize spatial planning tools in managing marine protected areas after attending training on January 25-26, 2011 organized by CTSP working through WWF-Malaysia. Experts from the University of Queensland facilitated the training, which focused on the use of a spatial planning tool called Marxan – a software designed to aid spatial planning in conservation areas. Marxan is the main tool used in the ongoing zoning process of the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP).
The zoning process is part of the establishment of an integrated management plan that will conserve biodiversity, ensure sustainable development and alleviate poverty in the TMP. Training participants included representatives from Sabah Parks, Department of Fisheries Sabah, Sabah Land and Survey Department, Department of Irrigation and Drainage Sabah and National Oceanographic Directorate Malaysia.
| 3/18/2011 2:07 AM |
| Coral Triangle Representatives Participate in Global Fisheries Enforcement Training | Nine representatives from the Coral Triangle region attended the Third Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop held in Maputo, Mozambique from February 28 to March 4, 2011. The workshop brought together global fisheries enforcement participants to examine specific methodologies to tackle Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices, ranging from policy and legislation to actual surveillance methods and operational approaches. Through the workshop, Coral Triangle representatives gained additional training through practical exercise on evidence collection and prosecution of IUU fishing cases. The workshop was conducted by the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network, and co-sponsored by the Food and Agricultural Organizations, and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and hosted by the Ministry of Fisheries of Mozambique. The US CTI Support Program, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, supported the attendance of the Coral Triangle participants.
| 3/18/2011 2:06 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update January 2011 | The January 2011 update focuses on milestones achieved in conserving and sustaining marine resources in Malaysia and the Solomon Islands. New resources uploaded to the CTI Partner
Portal covering local governance and climate change, economic incentives of marine conservation and benchmarking MPA effectiveness are also highlighted. | 3/7/2011 2:44 AM |
| Philippine Marine Science Network Releases MPA Benchmarking Toolkit | The Philippine Marine Science Network and the CTI National Coordinating Committee (NCC), in collaboration with CTSP and other partners, has released a toolkit that aims to objectively measure MPA effectiveness using simplified tools. The 15-page MPA Effectiveness Assessment Tool (MEAT) aims to assess governance in terms of enforcement, implementation and maintenance and can be implemented through an assisted self-evaluation or key informant interviews. The NCC noted that benchmarking MPA management effectiveness is a crucial part in improving functionality of governance and management of MPAs in the Philippines and serves as a baseline for the monitoring activities under its CTI National Plan of Action and in tracking commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity. To download a copy of MEAT, please visit the CTI Partner Portal. | 3/7/2011 2:34 AM |
| US University to Strengthen Climate Change Adaptation Capacity in the Coral Triangle | The University of Rhode Island (URI) has signed a grant with the US CTI Support Program to provide training courses that will develop and enhance the capacity of Coral Triangle countries in adapting to the risks of climate change. URI will work with partners in the CT region to adapt its existing Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change course and tailor it to the needs of Coral Triangle countries, including a training-of-the-trainers curriculum. The course covers vulnerability assessments, identifying adaptation options and developing strategies, building community resilience to natural hazards, addressing the effects of climate change on the effects of coastal development activities and designing governance frameworks, among others. URI will implement two regional courses during 2011 coordinating closely with representatives from the six Coral Triangle countries.
| 2/13/2011 6:37 PM |
| Gazettement of Proposed Marine Park in Malaysia Gains Government Support | On February 2, 2011 the Malaysian government designated a steering committee to establish an integrated management plan for the proposed one-million hectare Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) in Sabah, Malaysia. The creation of the steering committee, which is composed of government and non-government representatives, paves the way for the official declaration of TMP as a marine park under Malaysian law. The management plan outlines three goals: 1) conserve biodiversity, 2) ensure sustainable development, and 3) alleviate poverty in the proposed park. Once officially recognized by law, the TMP will be the first park in Malaysia that is collaboratively managed through a consultative and participatory process with mulitple stakeholders, including local communities. The Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), through WWF Malaysia, aided the formation of the TMP interim committee and continues to support ongoing marine conservation activities within park. In addition, CTSP, working through WWF-Malaysia, recently completed a one-week Climate Change Adaptation Training workshop on January 17-23, 2011, to strengthen Malaysia’s capacity in providing inputs to climate change adaptation measures and fisheries management plans at TMP. The workshop was led by WWF-US and focused on integrating climate change adaptation strategies into existing conservation strategies specifically in the proposed TMP.
| 2/13/2011 6:36 PM |
| Solomon Islands Launches CTI National Plan of Action | The Government of Solomon Islands formally launched its Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) National Plan of Action (NPOA) on January 18, 2011 in Honiara. This marks its strong commitment to sustainably manage marine and coastal resources to ensure food security, sustainable economic development, biodiversity conservation and adaptation to emerging threats. The NPOA includes concrete actions using a people-centered approach to integrated resource management where communities will be the primary drivers as well as beneficiaries of sustainable resource management. Eighty representatives from government, non-government and diplomatic organizations attended the launch. The Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology acknowledged the support of CTI development partners USAID, the Australian Government and the Asian Development Bank in the development and completion of the plan of action. | 2/13/2011 6:35 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update December 2010 | The US CTI Support Program Monthly Update for December 2010 focuses on the program's wide-ranging efforts in strengthening climate change adaptation initiatives in coastal areas in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and the Solomon Islands.
| 1/24/2011 1:35 AM |
| Climate Change and Marine Conservation Radio Program Hits Philippine Airwaves | A new radio program that aims at raising coastal communities’ awareness of climate change and marine environmental protection measures hit Philippine airwaves in the provinces of Palawan and Mindoro in December 2010. The program, entitled Kalikasan at Buhay sa Tabing Dagat (Environment and Life in the Coast), targets listeners in three Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) project sites that are addressing coastal and marine resource management issues. The sixteen-episode, thirty-minute radio campaign is aired every Saturday on three radio stations and will run through March 2011. Each episode features amusing dialogue, drama, trivia, environmental tips and expert interviews. A community discussion is held in each target site after four episodes to gauge changes in the level of environmental awareness among the target listeners. CTSP, through WWF Philippines, developed and implemented the radio program in collaboration with local partners Foundation for Information Technology and Education, Foundation for the Philippine Environment and Coca-Cola Philippines. The material for the radio program will be replicated and distributed to other radio stations and as audio-based material for future marine resource management awareness campaigns in other sites. | 1/19/2011 7:57 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update November 2010 | This update highlights our successful efforts in supporting the establishment and effective management of Marine Protected Areas in Indonesia and reducing the risks of climate change impacts in coastal areas in the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. It also focuses on the outcomes of the recently concluded 6th CTI Senior Officials Meeting held in Manado, Indonesia. | 1/3/2011 8:28 PM |
| USAID and NOAA Strengthen Indonesia’s Capacity to Protect Marine Biodiversity | Fifty officers from Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs (MMAF) improved their capacity to effectively manage and operate marine protected areas (MPAs) after attending a training program organized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under USAID’s US Coral Triangle Initiative Support Program. The seven-day activity was held on November 21-28, 2010 in Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia and included participants from various MMAF field operating units across the country. The training activity forms part of the US CTI Support Program’s collaboration with the MMAF to develop and implement a long-term MPA management capacity development program that will build a team of highly-skilled MPA practitioners and institutionalize an MPA training program in government. NOAA supports this effort through curriculum development, training of trainers and the establishment of an MPA Certification Program. This will effort will support Indonesia's goal to designate 20 million hectares of well-managed MPAs by 2020. | 12/13/2010 7:22 PM |
| Solomon Islands Develop Climate Change Adaptation Plan | The Government of Solomon Islands held its first ever Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation workshop on November 15, 2010 in Honiara. Fifteen participants from government and non-government organizations attended the event which focused on developing a climate change vulnerability assessment guide for the country’s marine sector. The workshop is the first of a series of activities that will lead to the formulation of national action plan for climate change adaptation and data management in the country. The workshop, supported by technical experts from the Coral Triangle Support Partnership, was led by two government officers from the Solomon Islands who attended a three-work course on coastal adaptation to climate change at the University of Rhode Island in the U.S. in June 2010 through support from USAID's US CTI Support Program. The Solomon Islands Government co-chairs the Coral Triangle Initiative Regional Working Group on Climate Change Adaption. | 12/12/2010 8:28 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update October 2010 | The October 2010 update highlights our efforts to strengthen the collective capacity of the Coral Triangle countries in addressing their immediate climate change adaptation needs and in confronting the growing threats of the Live Reef Food Fish Trade. It also focuses on ongoing efforts to enhance marine and coastal resource management in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands. | 11/11/2010 6:52 PM |
| Coastal and Marine Resources Learning Network in PNG Takes Shape | On October 4-8, 2010, representatives from local communities, government and non-government organizations attended a workshop in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) to strengthen the national platform for effective marine management and conservation in the country. Workshop participants reviewed successful approaches to marine conservation and agreed to establish a learning network which will serve as the hub of marine and coastal resource information and knowledge sharing in the country. The US CTI Support Program helped organize the workshop in collaboration with the Papua New Guinea Department of Environment and Conservation and the National Fisheries Authority. The US CTI Support Program will also support the development of the learning network going forward and pursue strategies that will result in enhanced marine conservation in PNG. | 11/10/2010 10:23 PM |
| Solomon Islands Boost Legal Capacity to Protect Marine Resources | To strengthen the legal framework protecting its marine resources, 85 community representatives, government officials and conservation practitioners from the Solomon Islands attended a five-day workshop in Gizo, Western Province on October 4-8, 2010 to review a proposed regulation that will cover the establishment and management of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the country. The workshop participants prepared recommendations for the Solomon Islands government which is currently in the process of fine-tuning the Protected Areas Regulations Act 2010 a landmark law that will provide teeth to enforcement of fisheries regulations inside MPAs. The participants also developed a Best Practice Guidance Model for community based natural resource management that will be refined and replicated all over the country. The Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) provided funding for and facilitation assistance to the workshop, which also served as a platform for cross-sectoral engagement to support the Coral Triangle Initiative within the Solomon Islands. | 11/9/2010 2:18 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update September 2010 | The September 2010 update highlights activities that build the capacity of Coral Triangle countries in implementing an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM). In the Philippines, local fishermen are coached on how to combat
illegal and unreported fishing. In Malaysia, commercial fishers are briefed on the principles of sustainable fishing practices and in Indonesia new indicators are developed to support EAFM. At the regional level, representatives from the CT6 traveled to the US to attend a course on fisheries management.
| 11/7/2010 8:03 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update Aug 2010 | The August 2010 update highlights milestones achieved in protecting the rare humphead wrasse in Sabah, Malaysia and showcases the achievements of a local fishermen's group
in Wakatobi, Indonesia, which is one of this year's UN Equator Prize awardee for outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation of biodiversity. | 11/7/2010 7:59 PM |
| Coral Triangle Countries Collectively Strengthen Capacity to Adapt to Climate Change | Twenty five representatives from the Coral Triangle Countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste - met in Ancol, Indonesia on Oct 21-23, 2010 to prepare a region-wide Early Action Plan that addresses the region’s immediate climate change adaptation needs. The Coral Triangle is considered the global epicenter of marine biodiversity and the plan will support regional and country level actions that will strengthen marine ecosystems and coastal communities’ resilience to climate change. The representatives also prepared a communiqué that calls for the recognition of the large role of oceans, coasts and small islands in climate change adaptation and mitigation. The communiqué will be presented at the upcoming UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties in Cancun, Mexico on November 29-December 10, 2010. USAID’s Coral Triangle Initiative Support Program organized and funded the meeting in collaboration with the Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs and will support the countries in implementing the action plan. | 11/7/2010 6:37 PM |
| Coral Triangle Region Confront Growing Threats from Live Reef Fish Trade | Forty representatives from government, non-government, academia and commercial fish trading firms from Coral Triangle countries attended a workshop in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on Oct 12-15, 2010 to find practical solutions to overexploitation caused by the growing live reef food fish trade (LRFT). LRFT involves the capture of reef fish which are kept alive for sale and consumption, often resulting in fish stock depletion and destruction of coral reefs. The meeting participants recommended the formulation of a multi-stakeholder forum that will ensure the sustainability of LRFT by addressing critical issues such as regulation of size and maturity of fish catch, traceability, addressing demand and increasing awareness among consumers and suppliers. USAID’s US CTI Support Program funded and organized the workshop in collaboration with WWF, the State Government of Sabah and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia. | 11/7/2010 6:36 PM |
| Mayors Plan for Local Governance Strategy within the CTI | The US CTI Support Program organized a planning workshop on September 22-24, 2010 in Cebu, Philippines to bring together mayors from the Coral Triangle countries to work together under the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) framework and create a network of local mayors that promotes integrated coastal management as a service. The workshop resulted in an agreement among Indonesia and Philippine mayors’ associations to co- host a CTI Coastal Round Table Regional Exchange that will gather local decision makers from the CT6 to discuss and share approaches for sustainable management of coastal resources. The roundtable will be supported by USAID, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, the Indonesia Association of Mayors and Regents, two regional associations that support local governments, the United Cities and Local Governments-Asia Pacific and ICLEI-Southeast Asia. | 10/15/2010 4:07 AM |
| Indonesia Develops Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management Indicators | On September 22-24, 2010, a total of 70 participants from national and local government agencies, non-government organizations, academia, industry and national fisheries communities in Indonesia identified and developed a set of indicators to support the implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in the country, specifically in government. The indicators were developed through a three-day workshop led by the Directorate of Fish Resources at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and supported by CTSP through WWF Indonesia. The indicators will be tested in several pilot areas before being refine, applied and replicated all over the country. These will then be used in tandem with existing output-based indicators such as volume and value of fish catch. | 10/15/2010 4:06 AM |
| CTSP Rallies Commercial Fishing Industry Support for Marine Resource Conservation and Sustainability in Sabah | On September 23-24, 2010, forty five representatives from the commercial fishing industry, government agencies and NGOs in Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia agreed to adopt sustainable fishing practices to stem the decline of fish stocks and promote sustainable marine resource management in the area. The commercial fishers agreed to take into account the conservation of marine ecosystems, protection of species and the well being of local communities in their fishing practices. The Kudat-Banggi Priority Conservation Area forms the proposed Tun Mustapha National Park, a 1.02 million hectare site considered globally significant for its rich marine ecosystem that is home to several endangered marine species. It is one of the top producers of fisheries products in Malaysia. CTSP, through WWF Malaysia, supports the establishment of the Tun Mustapha as multiple-use marine protected area. | 10/12/2010 12:36 AM |
| Philippine Fishermen’s Capacity to Fight Illegal Fishing and Effectively Manage Marine Protected Areas Strengthened | Forty five fishermen and local government officials from the municipalities of Sitangkai and Languyan in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines participated in a four-day workshop on Sept 20-23, 2010 aimed to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing practices in marine protected areas (MPAs). Workshop participants learned about various laws that curtail illegal fishing practices inside MPAs, the corresponding procedures needed to enforce these as well as the proper procedures in conducting arrests and custodial investigation of violators. The workshops were organized by the local governments of Sitangkai and Languyan and supported by the US CTI Support Program. Workshop facilitators included officers from WWF Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Navy and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
| 10/12/2010 12:36 AM |
| Coral Triangle Countries Learn Innovative Fisheries Management Tools from US Training | Eleven government officials, university faculty and professionals from the six Coral Triangle countries completed a three-week course on Leadership for Fisheries Management at the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) Coastal Resource Center in Narragansett, Rhode Island this week. The course ran from August 26 to September 3, 2010 and taught participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste how to integrate livelihoods, sustainability, aquaculture, tourism, and coastal development in fisheries management. Upon their return home, the participants from the Coral Triangle countries will provide technical and management support to their respective government, academic and non-government organizations in implementing their Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) National Plan of Action both at the national and community level. USAID’s US CTI Support Program facilitated and funded the countries’ participation in the course and will assist the participants in implementing their plans of action | 10/12/2010 12:35 AM |
| Wakatobi Fishermen’s Group Wins UN Equator Prize | The United Nations’ Equator Prize has recognized a local community organization in Wakatobi Indonesia for successfully organizing isolated and scattered fishermen groups and rallying them to take the lead in sustainable marine resource management initiatives. The Komunitas Nelayan Tomia (Tomia Fishermen Community), popularly known as KOMUNTO, was cited for mobilizing local fishermen communities at the Wakatobi National Park to decrease catch sizes, eliminate coral reef bleaching, stabilize fish prices, access capital for local development projects, and engage local government in marine resource management activities. The Equator Prize is awarded to recognize outstanding community efforts to reduce poverty through the conservation of biodiversity. The Coral Triangle Support Partnership, through WWF Indonesia and the Nature Conservancy, has been providing technical assistance to KOMUNTO and other community organizations in Wakatobi as part of its overarching goal to improve the management of the Indonesia’s marine protected areas. | 9/7/2010 7:51 PM |
| Philippine Municipality Tackles Live Reef Fish Trade at the Community Level | More than 100 fishermen, live reef fish (LRF) traders and local government officials gathered on August 10, 2010 in Araceli Municipality in Palawan, Philippines to develop an eco-system management plan to control the growing live reef fish trade in the area. The workshop participants identified several priority actions which included the establishment of marine-protected areas, setting up a regulatory system for fishers and traders and the delineation of municipal water boundaries and zones. They also discussed other illegal fishing practices such as the use of sodium cyanide, poaching from other municipalities and overlapping municipal waters with the neighboring towns that cause confusion among fishermen. Araceli is a low-income municipality whose marine resources are at risk from unregulated fishing practices and lack of marine law enforcement. The workshop was supported by the US CTI Support Program, in collaboration with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Western Philippine University, and the Environmental Legal Assistance Center. | 9/7/2010 7:50 PM |
| Captured Rare Fish Released Back to the Wild in Malaysia | A Malaysian initiative to restore threatened fish populations advanced last month when fifty rare humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) were successfully released at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park in Sabah, Malaysia as part of a buyback and release program to increase the population of the rare fish species in the area. The Sabah local government banned the export of humphead wrasse from the island on January 1, 2010 after a survey by WWF Malaysia and the Department of Fisheries in Sabah showed that wild populations of the fish species were rapidly declining. As of July, the buyback program has rescued 862 humphead wrasse, which were tagged for monitoring and released in several marine protected areas throughout Sabah in the hope that they will breed and replenish the declining population in the island. The US CTI Support Program has been collaborating with Malaysia’s Department of Fisheries and University of Sabah Malaysia on the buyback program and other sustainable fisheries activities. The July 30 release of the humphead wrasse coincided with the annual Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-region tri-national meeting that brought together government representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to discuss the conservation and sustainability of the biodiversity-rich eco-region that straddles the three countries’ sea territories. | 9/7/2010 7:50 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update July 2010 | This update highlights achievements in strengthening the management of the 1.27 million hectare Berau Marine Protected Area in Indonesia and the successful training of the Philippine Coast Guard in marine mammal rescue. It also includes a Partner Update from the Asian Development Bank on its newly-launched technical assistance to the Coral Triangle Initiative. | 8/12/2010 8:41 PM |
| NOAA Takes Initial Steps to Tackle Illegal Fishing in Indonesia | A team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an implementing agency of the US CTI Support Program, held a series of meetings in Jakarta from July 18-27 to lay the groundwork for activities that will address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Indonesia. During the visit, the team completed surveys that will be used to produce a monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) needs assessment for IUU. The team also met with counterparts at the Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the private sector and colleagues from the US CTI Support Program to prepare activities to enhance Indonesia’s enforcement capacity in addressing IUU. NOAA is addressing one of the priority actions identified at the CTI Regional Priority Actions and Coordination Workshop in May 2010 which is to foster collaboration and strengthen enforcement of laws against illegal fishing
| 8/10/2010 12:50 AM |
| New Marine Management Plan Safeguard Sea Turtle Nesting Ground in Indonesia | Forty five government officials and community leaders gathered in Tanjung Redeb in East Kalimantan, Indonesia on July 14, 2010 to formulate regulations and policies that will strengthen the management of the 1.27 million-hectare Berau Marine Protected Area (MPA). Planners and government officials agreed to launch a study that will serve as the baseline for the Berau MPA Management Plan, which will then be submitted for approval to the Indonesian central government by end of 2010. The Berau MPA is a key part of the Sulu-Sulawasi Marine Ecoregion and is an important migratory, feeding and nesting area for endangered marine species. It is considered the largest nesting and feeding site for the endangered green turtles and hawksbills in Southeast Asia with approximately 5,000 female turtles nesting in the islands every year. The US CTI Support Program, through the Coral Triangle Support Partnership, organized and facilitated the workshop and will provide technical support the development of Berau MPA Management Plan. | 8/10/2010 12:49 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update June 2010 | This update highlights achievements in the month of June such as the participation of Coral Triangle representatives in a climate change adaptation course in the US, the simultaneous planting of 10,000 mangrove seedlings in the Philippines and the drafting of community-based natural resource management plans in Timor Leste. | 8/5/2010 2:12 AM |
| Philippine Coast Guard Learns Rescue Techniques to Save Stranded Marine Wildlife | Sixty members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) learned rescue techniques for saving stranded marine wildlife, such as sharks and sea turtles, after attending a two-day training program organized by USAID’s US CTI Support Program on May 26-27, 2010. The training focused on the identification of marine mammals, turtles, and sharks and how to manage stranding rescue, response, handling and reporting of these animals. Resource persons from Conservation International, Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the PNP conducted the training, which could pave for the creation of marine rescue units in the Coast Guard. | 8/3/2010 4:11 AM |
| Timor-Leste Village Leaders Draft Natural Resource Management Action Plan | Local leaders in Lautem, Timor-Leste have drafted a natural resource management early action plan to sustain marine resources and protect threatened species at the Nino Konis Santana (NKS) National Park. The action plan covers one suko (village) and will be implemented in the next six months. More
than 25 suko women and youth leaders drafted the plan after attending a leadership strengthening activity on June 16-18 organized by the Coral Triangle Support Program (CTSP), through Conservation International. The activity focused on community engagement, integrating traditional management tools in natural resource management and protecting threatened species such as such as the Gant and Horse Hoof Clam, Double-headed Maori Wrasse and Dugong. It will be replicated in two other districts inside the NKS National Park in July to further enhance local capacity in coastal and marine resource management in Timor-Leste. | 8/1/2010 9:37 PM |
| CTSP Leads 200 Volunteers in Planting 10,000 Mangrove Seedlings in the Philippines | On June 25, the Coral Triangle Support Partnership
(CTSP), through Conservation International, led 200
volunteers in planting 10,000 mangrove seedlings in a
coastline in Calatagan, a municipality in Batangas,
Philippines. The volunteers included the Mayor of
Calatagan, members of the Philippine Coast Guard, USAID
Philippines and community groups living in the area. The
mangroves are expected to prevent coastal erosion in
Calatagan’s coastline, which is adjacent to the Verde Island
Passage - a corridor of coral-filled waters in the Philippines
considered to have one of the highest concentrations of
marine species in the world. The planting activity is part of
a mangrove reforestation strategy developed by the local
government of Calatagan, supported by CTSP, to
rehabilitate mangroves in the area.
| 8/1/2010 9:35 PM |
| US Training Provides Coral Triangle Countries with Tools to Adapt to Climate Change. | Fourteen government officials, university faculty and professionals from Coral Triangle countries completed a three-week course on Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change at the University of Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Center in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The course ran from June 7 to June 25, 2010, and provided the participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands with knowledge, skills and tools to assess the vulnerability of coastal communities to climate change and identify adaptation options. The participants also received training in developing strategies to address coastal impacts of climate change. The CTI team will provide valuable support to their respective governments in developing their Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) early action plans for climate change adaption upon their return home. USAID’s US CTI Support Program facilitated and supported the countries’ participation in the course and will continue to support the participants in implementing their climate change adaptation action plans and supporting future courses in the region. | 6/28/2010 1:30 AM |
| Coral Triangle Countries Cooperate in Developing a Regional Marine Protected Area Network | More than 40 government representatives, technical experts and other stakeholders attended a regional forum in Phuket, Thailand from June 17-20, 2010 with the objective of creating a region-wide Marine Protected Area (MPA) system in the Coral Triangle (CT) region. During the three-day event, experts and country representatives reviewed the status and lessons learned from existing MPAs within the six CT countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. These lessons were used to develop strategies on how national systems can be linked within a regional network ensuring protection of the most critical marine ecosystems across the Coral Triangle. Representatives then designed national MPA networks and drafted the objectives of a region-wide CTI MPA network, both of which will be presented for review and adoption by the six Coral Triangle countries. The event was facilitated and organized by the USAID’s US CTI Support Program. | 6/28/2010 1:29 AM |
| CTSP Provides Technical Support to Timor-Leste in Ratifying Environmental Treaties | The government of Timor-Leste, through the National Directorate for International Environmental Affairs, has tapped the Coral Triangle Support Partnership’s (CTSP) technical assistance to ratify two international environmental treaties – the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Ratifying the Ramsar Convention will facilitate the passage of local laws that will strengthen Timor-Leste’s spatial-planning and deter unsustainable exploitation of water resources. Ratifying CITES will support the government’s effort to deter the trade of endangered plants and animals. Adopting both agreements will also aid Timor-Leste in achieving the goals of the CTI RPOA. | 6/11/2010 4:55 AM |
| Two International Agreements to Establish Regional Secretariat to be Developed | On May 20-21, 2010 the CTI Coordination Mechanism Working Group met in Jakarta and agreed to develop two international agreements that will lay the legal groundwork for the establishment of the CTI Regional Secretariat. The first agreement will be a treaty signed by the six Coral Triangle countries that will govern the establishment of the Regional Secretariat. It will also have sub-agreements that contain details on financial regulations, staff regulations and rules of procedure. The second will be a Host Country Agreement (HCA) between the Regional Secretariat and the host country, Indonesia. The HCA will cover issues such as taxation, immunities and privileges, all of which are provided by the government of the host country. | 6/11/2010 4:55 AM |
| U.S. Commerce Secretary Highlights U.S., Indonesia and Coral Triangle Initiative Efforts to Prevent Illegal Fishing | This week in Indonesia, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke, together with scientists and experts from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), visited Muara Baru, a commercial fishing port in North Jakarta to oversee signing of the first-ever U.S.-Indonesia ocean exploration agreement and to address joint efforts to prevent illegal and unregulated fishing. Through the US Coral Triangle Initiative Support Program and other efforts, NOAA, USAID and partners are working together with Indonesia and the countries of the Coral Triangle to strengthen enforcement and sustainable management of fisheries and conservation of the marine environment and coral reefs.
These “extraordinary natural resources,” said Locke, “sustain the lives of hundreds of millions of people living in this region and benefit many millions more worldwide. The health of the environment and health of the economy go hand-in-hand, and the United States is committed to actively partnering with the Republic of Indonesia on issues of vast importance to our two nations, Southeast Asia, and the planet itself.” | 5/28/2010 2:30 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update April 2010 | The April 2010 update focuses on the milestones achieved in enhancing fisheries management in Timor-Leste and in developing marine protected areas in Sabah, Malaysia and Nusa Penida, Indonesia. The update also features upcoming events from May to June 2010 and new resources uploaded on the CTI Partner Portal.
| 5/11/2010 2:23 AM |
| CTI Regional Secretariat to Hold Regional Priorities Workshop | The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Regional Secretariat will host a workshop on May 17-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia to identify priority activities from the CTI Regional Plan of Action and ensure that these are aligned and implemented in a coordinated manner. The workshop will bring together leaders and managers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste (CT6 Countries) and representatives from partners such as the US and Australian governments, the Asian Development Bank and non-governmental organizations working in the Coral Triangle region such as the Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund. During the workshop, participants will identify mechanisms for managing and implementing regional activities and define the roles of the relevant CT6 member agencies and partners in the implementation process. Various funding sources as well as the timing and location of the activities will also be identified. | 5/11/2010 2:17 AM |
| CTSP Outreach Activities Enhance Fisheries Management in Timor-Leste | The Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), through Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, completed a four-day training program for 21 government officials and community leaders at the Nino Konis Santana National Park (NKS) on April 6. The training included the fundamentals of results-based management; community-mapping; identification of important natural resources and habitats; and problem-solution modeling. From these techniques the participants will be able to develop early action plans to guide initial field activities for advanced conservation efforts in NKS. CTSP is also supporting the translation of Timor-Leste’s ‘Fisheries Laws, Regulations and Ministerial Diplomas’ book from Portuguese into English and Tetun. The book contains information on fishing gear restriction, allowable catch sizes, marine protected species and fishing licenses. The translated publications are expected to enhance the understanding of local fisheries regulations among fishermen and government authorities and prevent unregulated fishing practices. | 5/11/2010 2:16 AM |
| Malaysian Media Highlight Conservation Efforts in Sabah, Malaysia | Malaysian news media have highlighted conservation efforts at the proposed Tun Mustapha National Park in Kudat-Banggi, Sabah, Malaysia - an area in the Coral Triangle region threatened by overfishing and habitat degradation. The ‘New Straits Times’ and TV3 Malaysia featured the ongoing establishment of a marine protected area in Kudat Banggi led by the CTSP through WWF- Malaysia. The news reports also featured the collection of driftwood in Kudat which will be converted by British sculptor Silas Birtwistle into art pieces that will be used in the United Nations Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan, in October. The pieces, made of materials from various marine conservation areas around the world, will highlight the role of marine eco-systems in the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity. CTSP partially supported the media visit to Kudat Banggi. | 5/11/2010 2:16 AM |
| Earth Day Youth Camp in Nusa Penida Focuses on Ocean and Marine Life Conservation | On April 22-23, more than 150 junior and high school students joined government officials and non-government organizations for a two-day camp in Atuh Beach, Nusa Penida, Indonesia to celebrate Earth Day and stress the role of marine conservation in sustaining the environment. With the knowledge that children can be a powerful voice in promoting environmental awareness in their communities, the CTSP, through The Nature Conservancy (TNC), organized a series of presentations, games, quizzes, performances and other youth-oriented activities to stress the importance of establishing a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Penida marine ecosystem. With support from CTSP, TNC together with the local government and other partners, are aiming to establish an 18,650-hectare MPA with regulations that will protect the ability of local fishermen to use traditional, sustainable fishing practices, while restricting practices that will harm the marine habitats, particularly coral reefs. | 5/11/2010 2:15 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update March 2010 | This update highlights headways achieved in our efforts to enhance local capacity to protect marine resources in Malaysia, improve awareness on the benefits of protecting and sustaining marine resources at the Nino Konis Santana National Park in Timor-Leste and maintain healthy fishing practices in a conservation hotspot in the Philippines.
| 4/19/2010 1:09 AM |
| USAID Strengthens Malaysia’s “Wildlife Wardens” Capacity to Protect Marine Resources | On March 18-20, 2010, community leaders from 20 villages within the proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park in Sabah, Malaysia, convened to discover new tools and strategies to protect marine wildlife—specifically sea turtles. The leaders, dubbed honorary “wildlife wardens” came from three districts in the park including Kudat-Banggi, Kota Marudu and Pitas, as well as Pulau Tigabu, a small island at the eastern tip of the park. Wardens from Kampung (village) Berungus in Pitas District were also commended during the event for their successful initiative in protecting sea turtles by convincing local fishermen to stop destructive fishing methods and switch to more environment- and turtle-friendly fishing gear.
The proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park covers roughly one million hectares. It is an important habitat for marine turtles and coral reefs but is threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing and uncontrolled coastal development. The training was organized by WWF-Malaysia and the Sabah Wildlife Department and supported by USAID’s US Coral Triangle Support Partnership, a mechanism of the US CTI Support Program. | 4/6/2010 11:26 PM |
| Timor-Leste Government Turns Learning Into Action to Prevent Illegal Fishing Activities | The Timor-Leste government has launched an initiative to strengthen prevention of illegal, un-reported and un-regulated fishing activities at the Nino Konis Santana (NKS) National Park. The first government-led activity was an awareness campaign on March 10-12, 2010, to familiarize fishing villages with existing fisheries laws and regulations. The campaign, attended by 70 local fishermen, village heads, and community police officers further strengthened the government’s capacity to implement outreach campaigns and improved community awareness on the laws covering the use of appropriate fishing gear, the consequences of catching protected species and the maximum allowed amount of by-catch for each fisherman, among others. The campaign builds on the catalytic public outreach efforts jointly organized by the Timor-Leste government and the US CTI Support Program, through USAID’s Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), from January to February 2010. Implementing fisheries laws at the NKS is crucial in protecting and sustaining the park’s 55,600 hectares of sea that includes extensive coral reefs. | 3/29/2010 3:58 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update February 2010 | The February 2010 update focuses on progress made in establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across the Coral Triangle region and efforts made towards strengthening the management of existing MPAs. It also highlights new resources available on the CTI Partner Portal such as the 2010 US CTI Support Program Consolidated Work Plan and the Activity Report of the CTI Regional Exchange on Enhancing Private Sector Engagement held in Manila, Philippines on January 18-21, 2010. | 3/9/2010 8:32 PM |
| Marine Resources Outreach Campaign Launched in Timor-Leste Coastal Communities | From February 23-March 3, 2010, the Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), a US CTI Support Program mechanism, conducted a multi-media outreach campaign to launch its village mobilization program throughout Nino Konis Santana (NKS) National Park. CTSP worked with the National Ministries of Agriculture and Environment as well as provincial and local district officers and reached out to more than 900 people in six villages raising awareness and increasing engagement on marine resource issues. These outreach activities contribute to the US CTI Support Program’s strategic plan to establish a marine protected area at the NKS and make it a model for the Timor-Leste national coastal zone management program. The NKS encompasses 68,000 hectares of land and 55,600 hectares of sea including extensive coral reefs and one of the largest remaining intact examples of tropical lowland and coastal monsoon rainforest in the region.
| 3/8/2010 8:10 PM |
| Mangrove Nursery Established to Sustain Verde Island Passage | On February 16, the local government in Calatagan, Philippines, with the assistance of the US CTI Support Program, established a 1,020 square-meter nursery mangrove to support conservation efforts in the Verde Island Passage. The nursery will hold 16,000 mangrove seedlings and support strategic rehabilitation of 50 hectares of mangrove forests in Batangas Province.
The Batangas coastline is directly adjacent to the Passage, a narrow corridor of coral-filled waters in the Philippines which is considered to have one of the highest concentrations of marine species in the world. Healthy mangrove forests will support the marine ecosystem in the Passage and serve as a climate change adaptation strategy for coastal communities in the area. The nursery was established through the efforts of the Calatagan local government with technical and financial support from USAID’s Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) through Conservation International. | 2/28/2010 11:14 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Consolidated Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2010. | The US CTI Support Program Consolidated Work Plan can now be downloaded from the portal. The document includes descriptions of the US CTI Support Program Team agencies and implementing partners, the Program's five-year results framework and strategy, and Year 2 (October 2009 - September 2010) activities that are being implemented and will be conducted regionally, nationally and locally in each of the six Coral Triangle countries, and within identified priority geography areas.
To download the Work Plan, log on to the portal using username Coral and password Triangle.
| 2/25/2010 9:10 PM |
| Activity Report: CTI Regional Exchange on Enhancing Private Sector Engagement, Jan 18-21, 2010 | The Activity Report of the CTI Regional Exchange on Enhancing Private Sector Engagement to Sustain Marine and Coastal Resources conducted January 18-21 in conjunction with the CTI Business Summit in Manila can now be downloaded from the portal. To access the report, log on to the portal using username Coral and password Triangle.
| 2/25/2010 9:06 PM |
| Join us on Facebook! | Click here and join the US CTI Support Program on Facebook to get weekly news updates, links to videos, events and photos about the Coral Triangle region. | 2/25/2010 6:59 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update January 2010 | This update highlights the milestones achieved during the CTI Business Summit and Regional Private Sector Exchange held in Manila from January 18-21, 2010. The event gathered government representatives and leaders of the seafood, energy, tourism, and travel industries in an effort to identify opportunities for more sustainable growth in the world 's most diverse marine environment — the Coral Triangle region.
| 2/10/2010 12:08 AM |
| Four Public-Private Partnerships Signed at First CTI Business Summit | On January 20 in Manila, Philippines, the private sector demonstrated its commitment to the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) by signing four agreements at the CTI Business Summit. These agreements include commitments to improve sustainable fisheries through technology, branding, and reduction of by-catch using techniques such as circle hooks. President Gloria Arroyo announced in the opening session that the Philippines is mainstreaming the use of circle hooks which builds upon a longstanding program with USAID, NOAA and World Wildlife Fund for Nature to expand their use.
Through assistance from the US CTI Support Program, delegates from all six governments of the Coral Triangle countries engaged representatives from business and industry to identify opportunities to partner with the private sector and prepared private sector engagement action plans to develop additional partnerships to meet goals for sustainable marine and coastal resources. | 1/21/2010 11:30 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update Dec. 2009 |
The December Update highlights some of the program achievements in December 2009 such as the drafting of the Wakatobi Commitment – a ground breaking proposal that promotes the inclusion of coastal resources management as a basic municipal service among 20 Indonesian coastal districts.
It also showcases the release of a joint communiqué on oceans and climate change signed by the six Coral Triangle countries. The communiqué, which was drafted through the support of the US CTI Support Program team and released during the Copenhagen Climate Talks, underlined the concern over sea level rise and ocean acidification. It also called for the inclusion of a marine component within the negotiation text of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
| 1/19/2010 12:56 AM |
| Capacity Development and Awareness Program at the Nino Konis Santana National Park Kicks Off | The US CTI Support Program team worked with national and district governments in Timor-Leste from December 4 to 11 to kick-start a stakeholder and community awareness program at the Nino Konis Santana National Park. The program will officially start in January 2010 with initial community road shows to be held in the six villages located inside the park. This will be followed by community mapping and planning exercises led by teams from the Timor-Leste Department of Fisheries. The Program’s key elements include community outreach and awareness raising, gathering and synthesis of key biological and socio-economic information, and a capacity needs assessment for government and community. | 1/8/2010 1:49 AM |
| Coral Triangle Highlighted During Copenhagen Climate Change Talks | More than 150 participants from 39 countries attended The Oceans Day, held on December 14 in conjunction with the UNFCCC framework discussions in Copenhagen, to highlight the direct link between climate change and the health of the oceans. Representatives from the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), Dr. Fadel Muhammad, the Indonesia Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, and Mr. Gordon Darcy Lilo, Solomon Islands Minister of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology, participated on a panel to stress the important role oceans play in global climate change. “Oceans play a critical role in our lives, and impacts brought about by climate variability and change has become one of the greatest threats to the survival of the Coral Triangle,” Mr. Lilo said.
The ministers also presented a joint communiqué on oceans and climate change signed by the six Coral Triangle countries. The communiqué underlined the concern over sea level rise and ocean acidification and called for the inclusion of a marine component within the negotiation text of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The US CTI Support Program supported the drafting of the joint communiqué. | 1/8/2010 1:48 AM |
| Indonesian Local Governments Move to Incorporate Coastal Resource Management into Basic Municipal Services | Representatives from more than twenty Indonesian coastal districts across Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia met from December 14-16 to draft the “Wakatobi Commitment” – a ground breaking proposal that promotes the inclusion of coastal resources management as a basic municipal service. Inspired by his participation in the US CTI Support Program’s Regional Exchange in June 2009 in the Philippines, Mr. Hugua, the Regent of Wakatobi, hosted the symposium on Coastal and Marine Resources Management, A National Dialog for Local Government Leaders.
The draft Wakatobi Commitment, a key result from the symposium, will be presented formally to the full national association of mayors and regents of Southeast Sulawesi in early 2010 when it is anticipated to be universally approved and adopted. The U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, Cameron Hume, provided supporting remarks at the event which was funded by the Wakatobi Regency, the US CTI Support Program, the Coral Triangle Conservation Foundation (a newly formed NGO in Indonesia), and the governments of all participating municipalities. | 1/8/2010 1:47 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update Nov. 2009 | This update highlights some of the program activities and headways achieved in November such as the launch of three action plans to support the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-region and the consensus reached among CT6 countries to locate the permanent CTI Secretariat in Indonesia.
| 12/7/2009 6:46 PM |
| Register Now for the Coral Triangle Business Summit in January 2010 | The Coral Triangle Business Summit, to be held in Manila on January18-21 2010, will outline business opportunities for key sectors that rely on marine resources and provide a platform for financial support and investments for businesses willing to commit to sustainability and green growth. For more info visit the Coral Triangle Business Summit website. | 11/26/2009 12:54 AM |
| Asian Industry and Government Stakeholders Develop Roadmap to Address Live Reef Fish Trade | The U.S. Department of State, a partner in the U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative Support Program, sponsored the first of several workshops on the East Asia-Pacific live reef food fish trade in Hong Kong November 10-12, providing stakeholders a platform to address this critical trade issue, which has implications for livelihoods and food security as well as the potential to devastate the region’s coral reef and marine ecosystems. Government and industry participants from Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, representatives from the live reef food fish markets in Hong Kong, the US State Department, NOAA Fisheries, and academic institutions outlined a set of priorities for future action.
| 11/26/2009 12:30 AM |
| Indonesia to Host Permanent Regional CTI Secretariat | The Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Conservation and Meteorology Gordon Darcy Lilo, opened the 2nd Ministerial Meeting of the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) held in Gizo, Solomon Islands, on November 19, by asking the delegates, "How do we organize towards the future? What needs to be done immediately?" The Ministers of the six Coral Triangle countries (CT6) wasted no time reaching a consensus to locate the CTI Regional Permanent Secretariat in Indonesia. Indonesia announced its commitment to mobilize resources for physical infrastructure and support services in hosting the secretariat including its transition from interim to permanent secretariat. The Secretariat, to be governed by a charter, will be an independent entity directly reporting to the CTI Senior Officials.
The Secretariat will be headed by an Executive Director supported by the Deputies for Program and Corporate Services all to be recruited from citizens of the CT6. The CT6 Ministers will sign a legal document for the establishment of the secretariat and determination of responsibilities and contributions from the members. CT6 Foreign Affairs personnel will assist in the development of the legal document. USAID and the Department of State supported this process with technical and funding assistance to the CTI countries and Interim Secretariat. | 11/20/2009 12:46 AM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update for October 2009 | The US CTI Support Program Update for October 2009 highlights some of the program activities and achievements for the month of October such as the launch of the Coral Triangle Atlas website, updates from the Fourth CTI Senior Officials Meeting in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and new resources added in the CTI Partner Portal. To receive the monthly update in your email, write to info@uscti.org. | 11/12/2009 8:35 PM |
| Technical Workshop on LRFFT, Nov. 10-12, 2009, Hong Kong, SAR | WWF and Conservation International, aided by the US CTI Support Program, is organizing a technical workshop to tackle Live Reef Food Fish Trade (LRFFT) in the Coral Triangle region. The workshop, will be held on November 10-12, 2009 at the Cityview Hotelm Kowloon, Hongkong. The workshop will bring together practitioners to present the most up-to-date information on LRFFT; identify and prioritize key gaps in knowledge and regulation; and to define a roadmap and strategies to address this unsustainable trade. To find out more about the workshop contact Geoffrey Muldoon at geoffrey.muldoon@wwf.panda.org. To know more about LRFFT in the Coral Triangle region click here. | 11/10/2009 12:20 AM |
| Coral Triangle Atlas Launched |
The US CTI Support Program and its partners, IUCN and Worldfish Reefbase, launched the Coral Triangle Atlas (CT Atlas) website on October 30, 2009. The website is an online Geographic Information System (GIS) database that can provide governments, non-government organizations and researchers access to spatial data on the Coral Triangle region at a local and regional scale. The CT Atlas regularly collects and consolidates spatial data on marine habitats, biodiversity, physical oceanography, socio-economy and other relevant indicators that will facilitate the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and MPA networks across the Coral Triangle region. The CT Atlas project is a joint effort of the NGOs under the Coral Triangle Support Partnership, IUCN and Worldfish’ ReefBase. To access the website please visit http://ctatlas.reefbase.org. | 11/3/2009 5:55 PM |
| CTI Regional Governance Structure Confirmed | On October 20-22 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, senior officials from the six Coral Triangle countries adopted the CTI regional governance structure confirming how the countries will collectively preserve and manage the world's epicenter of marine biodiversity. At the USAID-supported meeting, the officials determined the process for establishing a permanent secretariat. The six countries also agreed to issue a common CTI position elevating ocean and coastal concerns at the international treaty negotiations on climate change this December in Copenhagen. (To see photos from the SOM 4, log on to the portal and go to Event Photos inside the Photo Gallary Section) | 11/2/2009 6:50 PM |
| New Documentary! Acid Test:The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification | What happens when excess carbon dioxide mixes with ocean water? Find out in ACID TEST, a film produced by NRDC to raise awareness about the largely unknown problem of ocean acidification.
Ocean acidification poses a fundamental challenge to life in the seas and the health of the entire planet. Like global warming, ocean acidification stems from the increase of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Leading scientific experts on the problem, many of whom appear in the film, believe that it's possible to cut back on global warming pollution, improve the overall health and durability of our oceans, and prevent serious harm to our world, but only if action is taken quickly and decisively.
| 10/21/2009 2:42 AM |
| Join the US CTI Support Program on Facebook | The US CTI Support Program is now on Facebook posting videos, news updates and other multi-media resources on the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources in the Coral Triangle Region in real time. Come and visit us at www.facebook.com/coraltriangle | 10/16/2009 12:18 AM |
| Stakeholders tackle the Live Reef Fish industry in Taytay, Palawan, Philippines | On September 15, 2009, the Municipal government of Taytay, Philippines, hosted government officials, traders, and fishers to address illegal fishing, weak permitting systems, and unmanaged protected areas as they relate to the live reef fish (LRF) industry. This was the first step towards developing a comprehensive municipal ordinance on LRF management that will support sustainable fisheries. The World Wildlife Fund, through the Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) supported the workshop with assistance from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development. | 9/25/2009 3:33 AM |
| Indonesia Unveils Geographic Priority Areas to Manage Marine Resources |
On September 4, 2009, the Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) Directorate General for Marine, Coastal and Small Islands presented the priority areas that will provide the foundation for the development of Indonesia's National Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network Strategy. This strategy will be linked to fisheries management and policy development in Indonesia. Under the U.S. Coral Triangle Initiative Support Program, the Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) supported the process used to develop these priority areas which will guide CTSP field activities in Indonesia. | 9/14/2009 1:31 AM |
| The Philippines Improves Tools to Measure Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). | On September 1, 2009, the technical working group that supports the Philippines CTI National Coordination Committee met to revise the tools used to measure effectiveness of MPAs. The modified tools will be used in at least six priority marine conservation areas, including Verde Island Passage, Palawan, and Tawi-tawi. Assessing the status and condition of the MPAs is the first step in providing a baseline for monitoring achievement of targets presented in the CTI National Plan of Action. The Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP) will continue to support this process under the U.S. CTI Support Program.
| 9/13/2009 8:17 PM |
| US CTI Support Program Monthly Update, August 2009 | The United States is providing support to the Coral Triangle Initiative through the US CTI Support Program, which represents a financial investment of $41 million to support CTI efforts over five years. This program is funded through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of State. The USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (RDMA), with contributions from USAID/Indonesia and
USAID/Philippines, supports implementation through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Coral Triangle Support Partnership (CTSP), and a Program Integrator (PI). This monthly update highlights activities and accomplishments by the program team throughout the CT region
If you would like to receive a copy of our monthly update regularly, please send an email to info@uscti.org. | 9/10/2009 1:22 AM |
| Philippine Government Officials Tackle Destructive Live Reef Fish Trade Practices | Philippine Government officials met with U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney and industry representatives in Palawan on August 24 to address national concerns over the live reef fish trade (LRFT). The demand for live fish exports has seriously depleted fish stocks and degraded the sensitive coral habitats throughout the Philippines. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an implementing partner of the US Coral Triangle Initiative Support Program, facilitated the discussions on board the Research Vessel Navorca to increase engagement between local officials and the Palawan Live Fish Traders Association to advance policy and institutional arrangements that would effectively govern the industry. | 9/3/2009 3:38 AM |