Coral Triangle Countries Set to Begin Nominations for Regional MPA System

Member countries of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) are moving closer to finalizing the framework for the Coral Triangle Marine Protected Areas System (CTMPAS), setting the stage for the launching of the CTMPAS and the first round of nominations for CTI regional flagship sites. At the Regional Exchange on Developing a MPA Management Effectiveness Protocol to Support the CTMPAS held in Honiara, Solomon Islands on March 12-16, 2013, the countries laid out a regional action plan that targets this year’s Coral Triangle Day (June 9) for the CTMPAS launching. Ms Lynette Laroya of the Philippines, Chair of the MPA technical working group, said this action plan represents the CTI-CFF member-countries' commitments to the establishment of the CTMPAS. Under the plan, the countries will complete the final review and endorsement of the CTMPAS framework in April, and country nominations and review are slated to begin shortly thereafter, with the first regional review set for August 2013.

The CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action defines CTMPAS as “composed of prioritized individual MPAs and networks of MPAs that are connected, resilient, and sustainably financed, and designed in ways that (i) generate significant income, livelihoods, and food security benefits for coastal communities; and (ii) conserve the region’s rich biological diversity.”

As an initial step toward developing the CTMPAS, the countries agreed to submit to the Coral Triangle Atlas relevant MPA datasets to help them track the development of the CTMPAS overall as well as the individual MPAs and MPAs networks included in the system. The CTMPAS is a top priority action under the CTI-CFF RPOA. The CT Atlas is an online database that is intended to serve as a resource for the CTI-CFF countries and a third party to provide GIS expertise and mapping service to the countries on a common platform.

Download the summary proceedings of the activity from this link.

Photo Caption: CTI-CFF MPA Technical Working Group and Development Partner representatives in Honiara Credit: US CTI Support Program