United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship Alumni

[Lilian Yon] This Deep-Water Coral National Natural Park is the number 57 in the National Natural Parks System and it’s located in the Caribbean Marine Zone of Colombia.

The Park was officially established on 24 May 2013. About 142000 Ha will be protected from fisheries and potential oil exploitation.

This is a moment of celebration and joy for those who discovered these deep-water coral areas and believed from the very first moment that their extraordinary diversity should be protected.

A brilliant example to be followed!

For more information about this wonderful park go to the Colombian National Natural Parks System official website:

http://www.parquesnacionales.gov.co/PNN/portel/libreria/php/frame_detalle.php?h_id=12418&patron=05.

*Picture taken from Colombian newspaper El Tiempo: http://www.eltiempo.com/vida-de-hoy/ecologia/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INTERIOR-12822479.html

[Cecilia Engler] Following up on news posted by Lilian Yon earlier this month, the International Court of Justice has reported that on 24 April 2013, Bolivia has formalized its proceedings against Chile with regard to a dispute concerning the obligation of Chile to negotiate the sovereign access of Bolivia to the Pacific Ocean. The full text of the Application will be available shortly on the Court’s website (www.icj-cij.org).

It should be remembered that the International Court of Justice is expected to render its decision on the maritime dispute between Chile and Peru later this year. The case was initiated by Peru and seeks a delimitation of the maritime boundary in the Pacific Ocean between the two countries. While Peru argues that the boundary should be set following equitable principles according to the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention, Chile’s position is that the maritime boundary has already been established by agreement between the parties.

With the Law of the Sea Convention at a center stage, these cases will not only be of interest for the general interpretation of current international law, but also for the geographical and political seascape of the Pacific Ocean.

[Lilian Yon] A couple of weeks ago the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, said that Bolivia will take Chile to international courts to try to recover access to the Pacific Ocean, which it lost in a war 132 years ago.

Evo Morales said that Bolivia’s loss of the sea was an “open wound” that must be healed.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera rejected the remarks, calling them a “serious obstacle” to relations.

Chile is involved in a similar dispute over maritime boundaries with Peru, which also lost territory in the War of the Pacific.

Read the complete article @ BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12842978

*Picture taken from article

[Bryslie Cifuentes-Velasco de Jiménez] Nowadays, it is important for all the States to assert that all the fishing activities done by flag state vessels are accomplishing with all the set of laws enacted to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. As an international commitment, developing countries like Guatemala are trying to fortify its laws with regulations oriented to improve the mechanisms to certify legal fishing activities. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food through the Directorate for Regulation of Fisheries and Aquaculture has enacted two new ministerial agreements. Read the rest of this entry →

[Lilian Yon] On February 8th, 2013 The Jamaican Observer, published an article regarding a big fine in a US Virgin Islands coral-smuggling case.

Interesting is that the vigorous prosecution was for smuggling coral into the jewellery stores of the region, rather than prosecution for illegal black coral harvesting.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Big-fine-in-US-Virgin-Islands-coral-smuggling-case_13582930#ixzz2KjcOq3Up