United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship Alumni

The most challenge for this region is the Illegal Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) Fishing. The group member agreed that one of the weaknesses is the minimized penalties and it is very low when compare to the profit that the fisher can take from breaking regulations. The Caribbean countries have to urge to adopt or sign the Port State Measure Agreement and the Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Approach (MCS) and the enforcement of the regulation has to be improved. The national fisheries plan and policy have to be prioritized and harmonized in the Region. The strengthening of the cooperation and commitment has to be enhanced especially in term of sharing data, enhancing institutional capacity including human resources, technological resources and financial resources. However, in this issue, it may need the assistance from the developed countries with respect actual requirements of the received countries in the Region. The Precautionary Approach was mentioned to be implemented the open access has to be replaced by the limited access fishing right. Lastly, the climate change issued has to be addressed and investigated so that the actual impact of climate change on the fisheries ecosystem can be identified.

The group also discussed the strength of the Caribbean countries for the further fisheries management including the capacity of human that are ready to be enhanced or improved, the knowledge of the fisheries resources and using it in the best ways, most of required principles are recognized, they needs effectiveness implementation, thought.  There are several formal institutions that have capacity for the better coordination of the regional countries including ACS, CRFM and OSPESCA.

Sampan

Heathrow Airport, London. (May24, 2010)

In the last day of the IOI session, Francois Bailet, the supervisor of the UN-Nippon fellowship programme, introduced the Oceans and Law of the Sea, Divisions of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea and the UN-Nippon Fellowship Programme to the participant of the IOI meeting including the website of them for accessing more information. After then, alumni had opportunity to share and introduced their experience, field of works and the issues concerning the law of the sea and the ocean governance in their countries. For example, Cecilia presented the fisheries and ocean governance structure in Chile. Bryslie from Guatemala presented “the process to harmonize the Central America’s Legislation”. Laverne from Saint Lucia presented the topic of “Towards Results-based Integrated Coastal Governance: Planning for Evaluation and Use of Indicators”. Miriam presented “the ocean governance in Peru”. Tatiana presented “Tools for the management of coastal and maritime territory in Columbia”. Andrei and Uira from Brazil presented “Ocean Governance in Brazil” and “Environmental Licensing as an Instrument for Ocean Governance in Brazil”, respectively and Sampan presented “the fisheries resources management in Thailand”. Their presentations were benefit and were widely interested among participants of the same or different interests. So, it was a fruitful presentation and discussion session.

In the last session of IOI meeting, the sub-groups discussion were formulated by dividing into six principles including the Polluter Pays Approach, Fisheries Management in the Caribbean Sea, Maritime Boundary and Delimitation, Conservation and Ocean Environmental Protection, Public Participation and Precautionary Approach. The alumni involved discussion in depth of each topic of their concern. They not only engaged the discussion but also worked as a facilitator in each group which was a good opportunity of creating a good relationship with participants and key resource persons from the various countries of the LA-Caribbean region. The rap up and round table was full of productive, creative and responsive environment.

Sampan

Bridgetown, Barbados (May, 23, 2010)

On the forth day of the meeting, the importance of delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf in Territorial sea EEZ was presented in parallel with the view of its impact and because both EEZ and shelf boundaries are both to be delimited by the agreement and by the basis of international law in order to achieve the equitability of ocean governance. In a consequence, there is current tendency in the delimitation in single maritime boundary. There are some crucial cases in the Caribbean region concerning the delimitation process that were taken for consideration and discussion e.g. Guyana-Suriname Arbitration, Barbados-Trinidad Arbitration. The rules and competing factors were examined and widely discussed. The topic was concluded that the delimitation may be varied only if clearly justified by a special relevant circumstance.

Sampan, Barbados