There is currently no comprehensive legislation on coastal management or marine resource conservation in Timor-Leste. Subsidiary law from Indonesian law are applied in the meanwhile. At the moment, a national park has already been established (with significant marine resource protection) and several marine protected areas are in preparation. There is a need for an overarching legal framework to guide the process of marine resource conservation.This project aims to fill the gap by drafting, shepherding legislation, translating and disseminating a national legislation on marine resource conservation.

This document was presented by the Timor-Leste CTI NCC at the first CTI High Level Financial Roundtable in Manila on May 3, 2012.