Initiative takes steps to enhance the well-being of coastal communities

A joint ministerial decree was made to establish the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Regional Secretariat as a permanent governance mechanism for the protection and management marine resources for the well-being of coastal communities throughout the Coral Triangle. The decree followed the Fifth Ministerial Meeting and five-year anniversary of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) in Manado, Indonesia.

"This newly ratified Action Plan covers the establishment of seascapes towards the focus of the marine resource management, the development of the waters conservation zone, the sustainable fishery management building, the adaptation reinforcement of the coastal areas to the climate change, and the conservation of the endangered marine species, " said Sharif Sutradjo, Indonesia's Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and member of the CTI Ministerial Council.

Ratifying the CTI agreement solidified the progress made to date, and embedded it into a long-lasting framework to continue and build upon this momentum. The now permanent Regional Secretariat will be the primary body that coordinates the implementation of the CTI Regional Plan of Action (RPOA). The Regional Secretariat will also serve to provide support to the National Coordinating Committees of each CTI country on emerging opportunities and priorities related to reaching the goals and targets of both the RPOA and National Plans of Action.

"The Coral Triangle region has the most marine biodiversity in the world impacting not only the more than 350 million people who live there but the world. By ratifying this agreement the governments of these six countries have shown true leadership and commitment to ensuring the future of these resources for everyone." – Niquole Esters, Director, Coral Triangle Program

As the epicenter of the world's marine biodiversity, Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle is home to half of the world's coral reefs, is a vital food source for millions of people and a nursery for maritime life from turtles to tuna. Facing threats from climate change, overfishing and pollution, the CTI-CFF was formed in 2007 by the nations of Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, and Indonesia in order to manage their marine resources cooperatively.

Serving as a demonstrated model of success for international cooperation in combating illegal fishing and environmental destruction, the CTI framework has tremendous potential to be adopted and adapted in other regions of the world, amplifying an approach to promote healthy sustainable societies not just in the Coral Triangle, but in marine and terrestrial ecosystems around the globe.

Provided by Conservation International