OFMP II Project Design Workshop, 7 May 2010
DOCUMENT 3
PROJECT DESIGN WORKSHOP OFMP II
Honiara, Solomon Islands
7 May 2010
Summary of the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for International
Waters of the Pacific Islands Region
Section A: Introduction
The Strategic Action Programme for International Waters of the Pacific Islands
Region (SAP) was prepared over the period 1995-1997 to provide a basis for an
integrated programme of GEF assistance relating to international waters in the region.
Implementation of the SAP was the broad aim of the first regional International
Waters Project (the IWP) funded by the GEF, to be achieved through two streams of
work within the IWP:
a) Integrated Coastal and Watershed Management (ICWM) and
b) Oceanic Fisheries Management (OFM).
The SAP continues to provide the basic analysis of problems, causes and solutions
that will be addressed in Oceanic Fisheries Management in the SAP II project.
Section II describes the process of preparation of the SAP.
Section II provides a summary of the SAP. The SAP II Project aims to address the
weaknesses in governance and understanding identified in the SAP as the root causes
of the threat of over-exploitation of oceanic fishery resources and adverse impacts on
related species.
Section B: The SAP Process (taken from Annex V of the SAP Document)
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), SPREP and the Government
of Australia co-financed a Global Environment Facility (GEF) Pacific regional
training and scooping workshop in Nadi, Fiji, 1-4 August 1995. It was agreed at this
workshop that a regional proposal for preparation of a Strategic Action Programme
(SAP) to the GEF from Pacific Islands would combine the following activity areas:
· integrated conservation and sustainable management of coastal resources,
including
· fresh water resources;
· integrated conservation and sustainable management of oceanic resources;
· prevention of pollution through the integrated management of land- or marine-
based
· wastes, and
· monitoring and analysis of shore and near-shore environments to determine
· vulnerability to environmental degradation.
An early draft of the proposal was endorsed by the 8th SPREP meeting in October
1995. Block B funds were requested from GEF in November 1995. Following further
regional and national consultation the proposal was submitted to and endorsed by
Heads of Government of participating island countries at the 1996 27th South Pacific
Forum. SPREP was requested by the South Pacific Forum to coordinate
implementation of the proposal.
The proposal was approved by UNDP on 19 April 1997. The Chief Technical Adviser
commenced work on April 22, 1997. The initiation of the project was announced to
participating countries, SPREP National Focal Points, the SPREP collaborating
institutions, Pacific Island Countries' (PIC) Missions to the United Nations (UN) and
members of the South Pacific Organisations Coordinating Committee (SPOCC) in
SPREP Circular No. 523. Participating countries were asked to establish the National
Task Force (NTF) and nominate Task Force Coordinators (TFCs) in SPREP Circular
No. 524.
A Regional Task Force (RTF) to oversee preparation of the SAP was established, with
one representative from each of five of the participating countries (Fiji, Marshall
Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu), 3 members of and chosen by SPOCC (SPC, SPF,
SPREP), 3 GEF Implementing Agencies (UNDP, UNEP, WB), 2 NGOs (IUCN,
TNC) and 1 private sector representative (Fiji Dive Operators Association,
recommended by TCSP). The ADB and ESCAP also participated.
The RTF met on 5 and 6 June 1997 in Apia. It considered draft regional reviews, draft
guidelines for national consultations, and draft terms of reference for the TFCs. The
report of the RTF meeting was circulated.
The TFCs met in Apia on 8 and 9 July 1997 to receive a briefing on GEF, the SAP
preparation process and objectives and suggested methodology for national
consultations. They also received the draft reviews and other materials for the
consultations. The report of the TFC meeting was circulated.
The SAP was prepared in accordance with the results of the national consultations.
The results, in the form of national reports and targeted project proposals, were
endorsed by the SPREP national focal point and were submitted to SPREP.
A preliminary draft executive summary of the SAP was circulated to participating
countries, SPREP National Focal Points, PIC Missions to the UN, SPOCC members,
RTF and TFCs in SPREP Circular No. 541.
The draft SAP was reviewed and approved by the RTF and the TFCs on 2 and 3
September 1997 at a joint meeting held in Apia. The report of the meeting was
circulated. The SAP was reviewed by the Heads of Government of the South Pacific
Forum at their twenty-eighth meeting in Rarotonga on 15-19 September, 1997.