Shared Oceans, Shared Responsibilities: Reflections on World Oceans Day and Coral Triangle Day

Shared Oceans, Shared Responsibilities: Reflections on World Oceans Day and Coral Triangle Day
By Suseno Sukoyono, Executive Chairman, CTI-CFF Interim Regional Secretariat

 On June 8, 2012, we once again mark World Oceans Day and celebrate the bounty of the seas that sustain the lives of millions and nurture cultures across countries. This year’s celebration also signals a new beginning, as the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) joins partners in celebrating Coral Triangle Day for the first time on June 9, 2012.

Coral Triangle Day brings together individuals, organizations, and communities through beach clean-ups, sustainable seafood dinners, and multimedia exhibitions, among other activities, to highlight the numerous ways we can protect and conserve the world’s richest marine environment—the Coral Triangle, the cradle of marine life on our planet.

This year’s World Oceans Day and Coral Triangle Day celebrations give us an opportunity to reflect not only on the benefits that our shared marine heritage provides, but also on the risks that threaten its sustainability and how we can work together to protect it.

For those of us living in the Coral Triangle, the impact of our declining marine and coastal resources is an everyday reality. Fish stocks continue to dwindle; fishermen venture farther out to sea for their catch; and coastal communities grapple with climate risks, overfishing, and destructive fishing practices that threaten endangered marine species.

Despite this grim scenario, the CTI-CFF has demonstrated that by working at the regional, national, and community levels, we can make progress in protecting our marine resources. Since 2009, we have achieved significant milestones in reaching the goals we set out together.

At the 7th CTI Senior Officials Meeting in Jakarta in October 2011, the six Coral Triangle countries adopted a Region-Wide Early Action Plan for Climate Change Adaptation that guides communities in developing and implementing effective adaptation measures. A complementary tool that enables the Coral Triangle’s most vulnerable communities to tailor-fit adaptation activities to their specific needs is now being applied in the Verde Island Passage (Philippines), Nino Konis Santana National Park (Timor-Leste), and Gizo (Solomon Islands), among others.

The CTI-CFF also achieved a breakthrough this year by integrating the principles of fisheries, biodiversity, and climate change into the establishment of effective marine protected area (MPA) networks. In the past, many MPA networks failed because they focused on a single principle or objective. The CTI-CFF also strengthened its fight against destructive fishing practices by developing a framework designed to spur new legislation promoting sustainable fisheries and reducing illegal and unsustainable fishing.

The year 2012 also brought encouraging news: a record 1.44 million endangered green sea turtle eggs were laid on Baguan Island in southern Philippines—an all-time high since 1984. Based on life expectancy rates, these eggs could produce an estimated 13,000 adult turtles, significantly boosting a population listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List. This success directly supports CTI-CFF’s goal to improve the status of threatened species and demonstrates the impact of community engagement and conservation enforcement.

Recognizing the importance of partnerships, CTI-CFF engaged more than 100 business leaders at our annual business forum in Kuala Lumpur. This has resulted in collaborations between governments, communities, and NGOs, providing much-needed support for conservation projects on the ground. This year, Indonesia will host the 3rd Regional Business Forum to further strengthen private sector involvement in advancing CTI-CFF goals.

In May, the CTI-CFF held its first-ever high-level financial roundtable in Manila, where the six Coral Triangle governments and development partners pledged continued support and investment in the Initiative’s Regional and National Plans of Action—particularly in priority activities critical to each country’s needs and to ensuring long-term sustainability.

Encouraged by these milestones, we now look forward to sharing our experiences at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Echoing the UN’s call for action to improve ocean management through multi-stakeholder initiatives, CTI-CFF will highlight how people-centered, goal-oriented regional cooperation can effectively halt and reverse the decline of marine resources. Rio+20 offers an excellent opportunity to showcase the CTI-CFF as a leading example of how a “Blue Economy” can be achieved.

With this in mind, we invite everyone to join us this June 8 in celebrating World Oceans Day and on June 9 for Coral Triangle Day—to honor our shared oceans and reaffirm our shared responsibility to sustain and protect them.

For inquiries, contact:
Dr. Darmawan
Coordinator, CTI-CFF Interim Regional Secretariat
Mina Bahari II Building, 17th Floor, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur, Jakarta 10110
Phone: +62-21-3519070 ext. 1723, +62-21-3521780
Email: darmawan@indo.net.id
Website: www.coraltriangleinitiative.org