The Coral Triangle and countries participating in the Coral Triangle Initiative[2][3]
Covering 1.62% of the planet's total Ocean area, there is broad scientific consensus that the CT represents the global epicenter of marine life abundance and diversity. This region has 76% of all known coral species, 37% of all known coral reef fish species, 53% of the world's coral reefs, and the largest extent of mangrove forests in the world. It also includes spawning and juvenile growth areas for the world's largest tuna fishery plus a spawning and nursery ground for six species of threatened marine turtles, endangered fish, and cetaceans such as tuna and blue whales.
Biogeography conditions within the CT may also enable this region to maintain its high productivity despite future climate change impacts. It potentially becomes the world's most important "refuge" for marine life. The natural productivity of the region makes it unique for its wildlife plus marine and coastal Ecosystems enhancing derived human lifestyle benefits for both local communities and governments.[4]
Marine and Coastal Living Resources
Unparalleled marine and coastal living resources provide major benefits to the approximately 363 million people who reside in the Coral Triangle. As a source of vital food, income and viable protection from severe weather events, the sustainable health of these ecosystems is critical.
These vital resources are under significant and increasing threat. The Coral Triangle sits at a crossroads of rapidly expanding populations, economic growth, and international trade. Fish and other marine resources are a principal source of income, food, livelihoods, and export revenues in all CT countries. Tuna which live on reef fish and shrimp help to feed a fast-growing demand in Japan, the US, Europe, China, and elsewhere.
Other global factors generate increased pressures on these resources including: over-fishing, unsustainable fishing practices, land-based sources of marine pollution, coastal habitat conversion and climate change. The current status of these resources across this region plus future projections, remains of great concern.
Establishment
Viewing it necessary to safeguard the region's marine and coastal resources, Indonesian President Yudhoyono convinced other leaders in the region to launch the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) in 2009. The CTI-CFF is a multilateral partnership between the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste (the ‘CT6’).
Six Heads of States/Governments signed the CTI Declaration in Indonesia on May 15, 2009[5]
At the Leader's Summit in 2009, these governments agreed to adopt a 10-year CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action (CTI RPOA) to safeguard the region's marine and coastal biological resources.
Through the CTI-CFF, the Coral Triangle countries have agreed to support people-centered biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, poverty reduction and equitable benefit sharing.
The CTI-CFF also seeks to address both poverty reduction through economic development, food security, sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities and biodiversity conservation through the protection of species, habitats and ecosystems.
The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) Regional Secretariat was created during the First CTI-CFF Senior Officials Meeting in Bali during December 2007.
It mandates promoting regional cooperation, sharing lessons learned plus facilitating leadership learning across the six Coral Triangle countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.
Main activities cover the following areas: organizational development, outreach and communication, regional coordination and mechanisms, technical and thematic working groups, development of key regional reports, and capacity development. It also serves as the main liaison and for all CTI-CFF official functions such as the bi-annual CTI-CFF Senior Officials Meetings and the annual CTI-CFF Ministerial Meetings. The CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat Headquarters are based in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Geographic scope for implementation of the Plan of Action
The CTI-CFF Plan of Action may be implemented within waters under national jurisdiction of each of the Coral Triangle governments, in accordance with their rights and obligations pursuant to international laws and the prevailing laws, rules and regulations of each country.
Applying scope of the CTI is without prejudice to the sovereign rights of the parties over marine resources within each national jurisdiction, or upon the legal position of each party on delimitating maritime boundaries between States with opposite or adjacent coasts. The geographic scope of CTI implementation is not intended in any way to redraw the scientific boundaries of the Coral Triangle which are defined by coral and coral reef fish diversity.
