"An ocean of islands – Oceanscape and integrated island management initiatives in the South Pacific" Yves Henocque

Speaker: Dr. Yves Henocque

IFREMER (French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea) Maritime Strategy Senior Advisor, JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology) Guest Researcher and OPRF (Ocean Policy Research Foundation) Visiting Fellow

• Date: Monday, April 7 2014
• Time: 14:00-15:30
• Venue: OIST Seminar Room C209
• Language: English  (Simultaneous Japanese translation will be provided)

Title: An ocean of islands – Oceanscape and integrated island management initiatives in the South Pacific: cases in French Polynesia and other places.

Abstract:

Initially conceived by H.E Anote Tong, President of Kiribati, in 2009, the Pacific Oceanscape has received increasing high-level support as the framework for management of the Pacific Islands region.  It reflects the need for integrated management planning for the Pacific Ocean, including environment, fisheries, tourism, development and, most importantly, sustainable livelihoods for Pacific Island peoples.

At national and local levels, i.e. implementation level, policy makers are clearly calling for an integrated approach to development and resource management that caters for the diverse needs of all stakeholders. While Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) is the underlying framework, it is not necessarily mentioned in policy guidance since in island situations, there is no reason for distinguishing between “coast” and “non-coast” areas in the context of integrated management. Instead, the term of Integrated Island Management (IIM) could be adopted to signify an approach that aims to achieve national and local policy targets in an island-wide or ridge to reef approach. 

Among others, the case of French Polynesia will be presented as an hybrid system where, besides the French Polynesia government, sit the municipalities (48 of them for the whole French Polynesia) with a status of local common right authorities under the French Republic and directly funded by the State.  Such is the political context in which the new coastal and ocean management instruments were developed like in Fakarava municipality (Tuamotu archipelago) as a Biosphere Reserve (BR) or in Moorea (Society archipelago) as a Maritime Area Management Plan (PGEM) from which lessons and recommendations may be drawn out for the future.