International Assistance
to Pacific SIDS
lGEF supported comprehensive analysis of transboundary marine issues in the Pacific 1997
lPacific International Waters Strategic Action Programme (SAP)
l - Integrated Coastal and Watershed Management
l - Oceanic Fisheries Management (Phase I)
lUnsustainable exploitation of living and non-living marine resources
lAddress the weaknesses in governance and understanding of the resources and their dynamics
lPacific SIDS participation in the development of new regional fisheries management arrangement
lOceanic Fisheries Management Project Phase II late 2005
l5 years - US$11 million
lAssist Pacific SIDS improve their understanding of transboundary oceanic fisheries resources and strengthen their national arrangements for the conservation and management of the Pacific highly migratory fish stocks
l
Six major aspects of the global, regional and national concerns about unsustainability in fisheries for transboundary oceanic fish stocks are discussed - some of them are inter-related :
the impact on target transboundary oceanic fish stocks;
the impact on non-target fish stocks;
the impact on other species of interest (such as marine mammals, seabirds and turtles);
the impact of fishing around seamounts;
the impact on foodwebs; and
the impact on biodiversity.

RATIONALE FOR GEF SUPPORT
The global concerns addressed by the GEF in activities in the focal area include:
“Excessive exploitation of living and nonliving resources due to inadequate management and control measures (for example, overfishing…)”[1];
and the overall strategic thrust of GEF-funded IW activities is:
“to meet the agreed incremental costs of (a) assisting groups of countries to better understand the environmental concerns of their International Waters and work collaboratively to address them; (b) building the capacity of existing institutions (or, if appropriate, developing the capacity through new institutional arrangements) to utilise a more comprehensive approach for addressing transboundary water-related environmental concerns; and (c) implementing measures that address the priority transboundary environmental concerns.”[2]
Within the GEF IW focal area:
sustainable management of regional fish stocks is identified as one of the major environmental issues that SIDS have in common and a target for activities under the SIDS component of OP 9, the Integrated Land and Water Multiple Focal Area Operational Program; and
the adoption of an ecosystem-based approach to addressing environmental problems in Large Marine Ecosystems is promoted through activities under the Large Marine Ecosystem Component of OP 8, the Waterbody-Based Operational Program.
Consistent with this framework, GEF financing for the South Pacific SAP Project has been supporting the implementation of an IW Pacific Islands SAP, including a pilot phase of support for the OFM Component, which underpinned successful efforts to conclude and bring into force the WCPF Convention.

[1] Ch. 4. Operational Strategy of the GEF.
[2] as for 21 above.