Marine Atlas: Maximizing Benefits for Solomon Islands

SOLOMON ISLANDS’ COMMITMENT TO MARINE CONSERVATION

Solomon Islands is committed to sustainably managing and conserving its marine values, so much so that its efforts in this respect extend beyond its international obligation of conserving 10 per cent of its waters by 2020.

Spatial distribution of Solomon Islands’ voluntary commitments (VC)

Voluntary Commitment title

ID

Url

Description and focus

Geographical coverage

Improving fisheries management using a Vessel Day Scheme (VDS), Solomon Islands

20314

https://oceanconference.un.org/commit- ments/?id=20314

To support the framework of the Parties to the Naru Agreement (PNA) by using a Vessel Day Scheme for all Solomon Islands’ purse seine fishing vessels fishing with- in its EEZ and national waters (territorial, archipelagic and EEZ). To expand the application and use of community-based resource management within Solomon Islands’ coastal communities to improve resource conservation, resource man- agement, resilience to climate change and disaster impacts, livelihood and food security.

Solomon Islands’ entire EEZ

Support community-based resource man- agement in Solomon Islands

20324

https://oceanconference.un.org/commit- ments/?id=20324

Solomon Islands’ inshore (territorial) waters

Maritime boundaries and zones finalized for Solomon Islands

20299

https://oceanconference.un.org/commit- ments/?id=20299

To commit to finalizing Solomon Islands’ maritime boundaries and zones in order to put the country in an ideal position to secure rights over its ocean space.

Solomon Islands’ entire EEZ

Review pollution control component of the Environment Act by 2018

20289

https://oceanconference.un.org/commit- ments/?id=20289

To commit to reviewing the Environment Act 1998 to ensure a broader and coordi- nated approach to waste management and marine pollution responses by 2018.

Solomon Islands’ inshore (territorial) waters

Integrated National Oceans Policy and Ma- rine Spatial Plan for Solomon Islands

19754

https://oceanconference.un.org/commit- ments/?id=19754

To develop and implement the following priority policies: Integrated National Oceans Policy and Marine Spatial Plan for Solomon Islands by 2018.

Solomon Islands’ entire EEZ

ocean, countries collectively agreed in the Call to Action “to act decisively and urgently, convinced that our collective action will make a meaningful difference to our people, to our planet and to our prosperity.” The second highest number of commit- ments comes from the South Pacific, high- lighting not only the importance of the ocean to Pacific Island countries, but also their commitment to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (SDG14). Solomon Islands is calling for action to con- serve valuable life below the surface, within its own waters and beyond.

However, the great importance of its ma- rine resources, Solomon Islands has gone even further. In 2015, the Government of Solomon Islands through the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet hosted the inaugural National Ocean Summit. The summit was attended by 12 ministries that have a vested interest in the ocean and its resources. The summit resulted in a joint commu- niqué recognizing the critical importance of the goods and services that coastal and marine ecosystems provide in Sol- omon Islands, as well as overlaps and gaps in marine resource use and manage- ment. All ministries pledged their commit- ment to combine efforts and resources in order to work jointly towards better man- agement and sustainable use of national marine resources.

This shows that Solomon Islands is commit- ted to sustainably managing and conserving its marine values. In this spirit, Solomon Is- lands submitted five Voluntary Commitments to the United Nations Ocean Conference in June 2017. One of these Voluntary Commit- ments highlighted Solomon Islands’ need to establish an integrated National Ocean Policy that will guide its efforts to maximize benefits from its ocean and continue managing its ocean resources. The other Voluntary Com- mitments emphasized the need to strengthen national efforts to implement communi- ty-based resource management approaches for inshore marine resources, establish a Vessel Day Scheme and finalize national mar- itime boundaries to ensure security and rights over Solomon Islands’ ocean resources.

none can say they were not aware of the harm humanity has done to the ocean’s health. We are now working around the world to restore a relationship of balance and respect towards the ocean” said the President of the United Nations General Assembly Peter Thomson, from Fiji, at the closing of the United Nations Ocean Conference. The 193 Member States of the United Nations unanimously agreed to a set of measures that aim to reverse the decline of the ocean’s health. The “Call for Action” outcome document, together with more than 1,300 commitments to action, marks a breakthrough in the global approach to the management and conservation of the ocean. Recognizing that the well-being of present and future generations is inextricably linked to the health and productivity of the

Solomon Islands has long realized the many values it derives from its ocean, and the im- portance of sustainably managing and plan- ning its uses (see also previous chapter). Thus, in 1995, Solomon Islands joined many other countries in signing and ratifying the international Convention on Biological Di- versity (CBD), under which Solomon Islands has accepted international responsibilities and obligations, including Aichi Target 11: “By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particu- lar importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically repre- sentative and well-connected systems of pro- tected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscape and seascape.”

“The Ocean Conference has changed our relationship with the ocean. Henceforth

MANAGING MAXIMIZING BENEFITS FOR SOLOMON ISLANDS

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