USAID Oceans Workshop Report on the Implementation of an EAFM Plan for the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape

The Regional Plan of Action of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) sets forth five long-term goals for regional action taken by the six Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Member Countries. One of these goals is the application of ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM). This goal is supported by priority regional actions identified and coordinated by the CTI-CFF EAFM Technical Working Group (TWG). One of these priority regional actions is “Improve enforcement of IUU fishing through greater collaboration.” USAID Oceans and Conservation International Philippines formalized a partnership in 2019 to facilitate the implementation of a sub-regional EAFM plan for the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, inclusive of priority actions are to combat IUU fishing, promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity. In coordination with the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and participation from CTI member country representatives from both the EAFM and Seascapes TWGs, during March 2020 Conservation International led a workshop to formally initiate the implementation of the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape Sub-Regional EAFM Plan, and establish a sub-regional governance mechanism between relevant government agencies of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to oversee direct the sub-regional plan’s implementation. The 2-day workshop was attended by 31 participants, 11 of which joined remotely (online). This report presents a summary of the workshop’s agenda, sessions, outputs, and presentations from the event, and serves as documentation of the sub-regional EAFM plan’s implementation as endorsed and supported by the CTI-CFF Member Countries, Regional Secretariat, and implementing partners

Hope for threatened tropical biodiversity: Lessons from the Philippines

10.1641/B580309BioScience583231-240BISN

Sexual and gender minorities in disaster [Editorial]

This article introduces a themed section of Gender, Place and Culture on ‘Sexual and Gender Minorities in Disaster’. This introduction frames the articles constituting the themed section, which together contribute important insights to the growing body of research, policy and practice on the experiences of sexual and gender minorities in disasters. The introduction positions the themed section at the intersection of disaster studies and geography. We briefly discuss how each discipline has attended to sexual and gender minorities to date, and suggest ways in which each discipline can enrich the other through collaborative scholarship on sexual and gender minorities in disaster. Importantly, we draw attention to critical limitations and occlusions concerning sexual and gender minorities in disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy and practice. Redressing these gaps in DRR globally should be a critical focus for future collaborative and applied research on sexual and gender minorities in disaster

Developing marine protected area networks in the Coral Triangle: good practices for expanding the Coral Triangle Marine Protected Area System

The Coral Triangle Marine Protected Area System aspires to become a region-wide, comprehensive, ecologically representative and well-managed system of marine protected areas (MPAs) and MPA networks. The development of this system will proceed primarily through the implementation of ecological, social, and governance MPA networks at the sub-national scale. We describe six case studies that exemplify different approaches taken to develop MPA networks in the Coral Triangle region at different scales: Nusa Penida in Indonesia; Tun Mustapha Park in Malaysia; Kimbe Bay in Papua New Guinea; Verde Island Passage in the Philippines; The Lauru Ridges to Reefs Protected Area Network in Choiseul, Solomon Islands; and Nino Konis Santana Park in Timor Leste. Through synthesis of these case studies, we identify five common themes that contributed to successful outcomes: (1) the need for multi-stakeholder and cross-level management institutions; (2) the value of integrating cutting-edge science with local knowledge and community-based management; (3) the importance of building local capacity; (4) using multiple-use zoning to balance competing objectives; and (5) participation in learning and governance networks. These lessons will be invaluable in guiding future efforts to expand the Coral Triangle Marine Protected Area System, and provide important insights for MPA practitioners elsewhere