[Coral-List] Invitation to CORAL REEF workshop, Nov 10, Paris, at the Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands

[Georg Heiss]

Dear Coral Reef Friends,

You are invited to the workshop CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT ISSUES to be 
held in Paris in association with the
Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands: Mobilizing for 
Implementation of the Commitments made at the 2002 World Summit on 
Sustainable Development, November 12-14, 2003, UNESCO, Paris, (with 
Pre-conference Workshops on November 10-11, 2003)

The main session will be held in Plenary on Monday 10 November and we 
are negotiating to have another smaller meeting room for Tuesday 11 
November to draft the presentation for the larger Global Conference 
and for distribution to ICRI.

There are no participation fees for the pre-conference workshops.
Please find more information on the conference at 
http://www.globaloceans.org/globalconference/

Please notify mailto:georg.heiss at reefcheck.de or 
mailto:clive.wilkinson at impac.org.au  whether you will attend and 
whether you have a brief presentation - either written or oral for 
the workshop.

Looking forward to seeing you in Paris,

Georg Heiss
Clive Wilkinson




INVITATION - Coral Reefs and WSSD

CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT ISSUES WORKSHOP SUMMARY
November 10, 2003   15:00-17:00 - UNESCO Conference Centre Paris
Co-Chairs: Georg Heiss, Reef Check
Clive Wilkinson, GCRMN

The Global Forum will bring together a diverse group of high level 
government and NGO leaders who could make a difference in coral reef 
conservation. So far, it appears that very little real action has 
occurred since WSSD on implementing the commitments made in 
Johannesburg.

Coral reefs and associated seagrass and mangrove ecosystems are 
amongst the most biologically productive and diverse on Earth. In 
addition to the economic benefits of coral reefs, these ecosystems 
sustain the social fabric and cultural values of many coastal 
communities around the world, particularly in SIDS. Reef Check and 
GCRMN have documented the continuing global decline in reef health as 
well as recent success stories.

The purpose of the Workshop will be to:

1) Examine the strong WSSD Resolution commitments to sustainable 
management of coral reefs through inter alia, the ICRI Call to Action 
(and renewed calls), fisheries and regional conventions relating to 
marine areas;
2) Review developments and progress in coral reef management issues 
on national and regional levels since WSSD;
3) Form a consensus statement on major action areas for presentation 
during the main program November 12 and 13.

Possible priorities for consideration would include:

Developing enabling legislation for the sustainable use of coral 
reefs and the establishment of MPAs, including ones co-managed with 
communities;
Providing support for existing and new MPAs to achieve a minimal 
target of 20% level of conservation of reefs;
Establishing national coral reef monitoring programs under GCRMN/Reef 
Check to support MPA management and undertake performance evaluation 
of management actions;
Providing support for restoration efforts for coral reef fish/shellfish stocks;
Facilitating training of marine scientists and managers able to 
research, monitor, and manage coral reefs;
Implementing the ICRI Renewed Call for Action and renewed calls.

Outputs:
A brief report to the Global Conference outlining recommended actions;
A draft report for wider distribution through ICRI to all stakeholders.




WSSD Resolution Statements Relating to Coral Reefs (FROM 2002)

Report Annex "Plan of Implementation"

IV. Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic
and social development
24.  Human  activities  are  having  an  increasing  impact  on  the  
integrity  of
ecosystems  that provide  essential  resources and  services  for  
human well-being  and
economic  activities.  Managing  the  natural  resources  base  in  
a  sustainable  and
integrated manner is essential for sustainable development. In this 
regard, to reverse
the current trend in natural resource degradation as soon as 
possible, it is necessary
to  implement  strategies  which  should  include  targets  adopted  
at  the  national  and,
where  appropriate,  regional  levels  to  protect  ecosystems  and  
to  achieve  integrated
management  of  land,  water  and  living  resources,  while  
strengthening  regional,
national  and  local  capacities.  This  would  include  actions  at  
all  levels  as  set  out
below.

30. Oceans,  seas,  islands  and  coastal  areas  form  an  
integrated  and  essential
component of the Earth's ecosystem and are critical for global food 
security and for
sustaining  economic  prosperity  and  the  well-being  of  many  
national  economies,
particularly  in  developing  countries.  Ensuring  the  sustainable  
development  of  the
oceans  requires  effective  coordination  and cooperation,  
including  at  the  global and
regional levels, between relevant bodies, and actions at all levels to: 
[a-h]

31. To  achieve  sustainable  fisheries,  the  following  actions  
are  required  at  all
levels:
(a) Maintain  or  restore  stocks  to  levels  that  can  produce  the  maximum
sustainable  yield  with  the  aim  of  achieving  these  goals  for  
depleted  stocks  on  an
urgent basis and where possible not later than 2015;

32.  In  accordance  with  chapter  17  of Agenda  21,  promote  the  
conservation  and
management  of  the  oceans  through  actions  at  all  levels,  
giving  due  regard  to  the
relevant international instruments to: 
  (b)  Implement the work programme arising from the Jakarta Mandate on the
Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine and Coastal Biological 
Diversity of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, including  through the urgent 
mobilization of
financial resources and technological assistance and the development 
of human and
institutional capacity, particularly in developing countries; 
  (c)  Develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools, including
the  ecosystem  approach,  the  elimination  of  destructive  
fishing  practices,  the
establishment of marine protected areas consistent with international 
law and based
on  scientific  information,  including  representative  networks  
by  2012 and  time/area
closures  for  the  protection  of  nursery  grounds  and periods,  
proper  coastal  land  use
and watershed planning and the integration of marine and coastal 
areas management
into key sectors;
   (d)  Develop  national,  regional  and  international  programmes  
for  halting  the
loss of marine biodiversity, including in coral reefs and wetlands;
   (e)  Implement the Ramsar Convention, including its joint work programme
with  the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the programme of 
action called
for by  the  International  Coral  Reef  Initiative  to  strengthen  
joint management  plans
and  international  networking  for  wetland  ecosystems  in  
coastal  zones,  including
coral reefs, mangroves, seaweed beds and tidal mud flats.

33.  Advance implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the 
Protection
of  the  Marine  Environment  from  Land-based  Activities  and  the  Montreal
Declaration  on  the  Protection  of  the  Marine  Environment  from  
Land-based
Activities,  with  particular  emphasis  during  the  period  from  
2002  to  2006  on
municipal  wastewater,  the  physical  alteration  and  destruction  
of  habitats,  and
nutrients, by actions at all levels to: 
   (a)  Facilitate  partnerships,  scientific  research  and  
diffusion  of  technical
knowledge;  mobilize  domestic,  regional  and  international  
resources;  and  promote
human and institutional capacity-building, paying particular 
attention to the needs of
developing countries; 

38. [...]
(g)  Promote  the  systematic  observation  of  the  Earth's  
atmosphere,  land  and
oceans  by  improving  monitoring  stations,  increasing  the  use  
of  satellites  and
appropriate integration of these observations to produce high-quality 
data that could
be disseminated for the use of all countries, in particular 
developing countries;
   (h)  Enhance  the  implementation  of  national,  regional  and  
international
strategies  to  monitor  the  Earth's  atmosphere,  land  and  
oceans,  including,  as
appropriate,  strategies  for  integrated  global  observations,  
inter  alia,  with  the
cooperation  of  relevant  international  organizations,  especially  
the  specialized
agencies, in cooperation with the Convention;


The full WSSD report is available under documents button on: 
http://www.un.org/jsummit/ at bottom right side of page. The 
pertinent section of the report is the Annex, Plan of Implementation 
with reefs on page 25 of the report -- mainly paragraphs 30-32 under 
Chapter IV.
http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=A/CONF.199/20&Lang=E

-- 
Dr. Georg Heiss
Reef Check Europe Coordinator
e-mail: <georg.heiss at reefcheck.de>
http://www.reefcheck.de/en | http://www.reefcheck.org

Reef Check - Dedicated to Global Coral Reef education, monitoring and 
management