PURPOSE

TOPS 2005 brought together key national level officials, regional organizations, UN agencies, scholars specializing in national ocean policy, donors, nongovernmental organizations, and industry to examine the growing experience around the world with the formulation and implementation of integrated ocean policies at national and regional levels, with the intent of drawing lessons and suggesting emerging best practices.

BACKGROUND

While most coastal nations of the world already have a variety of sectoral policies in place to manage different uses of the ocean (such as shipping, fishing, and oil and gas development), it has only been in the last decade that coastal nations have undertaken concerted efforts to articulate and implement an integrated vision for the governance of ocean areas under their jurisdiction-to harmonize existing uses and laws, to foster sustainable development of ocean areas, to protect biodiversity and vulnerable resources and ecosystems, and to coordinate the actions of the many government agencies that are typically involved in oceans affairs.

This is a very encouraging development, responding, as it does, to the reality of serious conflicts of use in most national ocean zones and to the prescriptions articulated in both the Law of the Sea and in the 1992 Earth Summit (given the interrelationship among uses and processes in the coast and ocean, ocean and coastal governance must be "integrated in content and precautionary and anticipatory in ambit").

TOPS 2005, the Ocean Policy Summit:

1. Presented in-depth analyses of the experiences of 23 nations and 3 regions of the world that have taken concrete steps toward cross-cutting and integrated ocean policy (part of the cross-national study undertaken by the Nippon Foundation Research Task Force on National Ocean Policies).
2. Presented the experience of other nations and regions, which have moved toward integrated ocean policy.
3. Drew upon lessons from the experiences to date, especially in terms of:



• means of achieving sustained collaboration and coordination among national government agencies on ocean policy, and of resolving cross-sectoral and intergovernmental conflicts among users;
• approaches to regional marine planning and governance;
• means of linking oceans to coasts and to watersheds;
• means of financing national and regional ocean policies; and
• factors that account for effectiveness in the implementation of ocean policies


4. Developed suggested international guidance on emerging best practices in the development and implementation of national ocean policies
5. Featured a one-day Ocean Strategy Workshop on factors and issues in ocean policy development and implementation for decision makers in small island developing States, developing countries, and countries with economies in transition.

HOST COUNTRY AND VENUE

Portugal's history and traditions are rooted in the use of the oceans. Portugal, the first European nation to develop a comprehensive oceans strategy, reaffirms its strong connection to the seas. The country's decision to promote a comprehensive analysis of ocean issues was based upon the recognition that Portugal should pursue the management of its large maritime area not through a sector-by-sector approach but rather through the adoption of a long-term policy that embraces all aspects of the ocean using an intersectoral, interdisciplinary, and cross-cutting approach to ocean affairs.

The conference was held in Lisbon, the starting point of the discovery of new cultures, new lands, and new routes in the world's maritime history, at Expo '98, where the international exposition celebrating the International Year of the Ocean took place.

ORGANIZERS

International Ocean Governance Network, supported by the Nippon Foundation, Japan

Portuguese Intersectoral Ocean Commission, Ministry of Science and Higher Education

Port Authority of Lisbon

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portugal

Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy, University of Delaware, USA

Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands

Marine and Environmental Law Institute, Dalhousie University, Canada

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Nippon Foundation, Japan

Port Authority of Lisbon

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portugal

Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Secretary of State for Maritime Affairs, Portugal

Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD)

Oceanário de Lisboa

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), UNESCO

UNEP Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA)

Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coastal Services Center (NOAA CSC)

WHO ATTENDED?

• National-level government officials charged with the development and implementation of national ocean policies
• Leaders from regional organizations working on ocean policies
• Academics working in the field of ocean and coastal management
• International agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and industry participants involved in ocean and coastal management
• Leaders from small island developing States, developing countries, and countries with economies in transition interested in the development and implementation of national ocean policies

CONFERENCE MATERIALS

Conference participants received the following materials for consideration at the conference:

Detailed case studies of countries working on integrated national and regional ocean policies

Summary information on all country and regional cases

Draft international guidance on national and regional ocean policies for discussion at the conference

Draft of conference statement

Educational materials on EEZ management for those participating in the Ocean Strategy Workshop

SELECTED INVITED SPEAKERS

INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS

Dr. Awni Behnam, President, International Ocean Institute

Dr. Patricio Bernal, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO

Commissioner Joe Borg, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, European Commission

Mr. Phil Burgess, Co-Chair, UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea

Hon. Ian Campbell, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Australia

Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, Director, Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia

Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain, Co-Chair and Head of Secretariat, Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands

Mr. Simon Cripps, Director, Endangered Seas Programme, World Wildlife Fund International

Ms. Annick de Marffy, Independent Consultant, former Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea

Hon. Stéphane Dion, Environment Minister, Canada

Dr. Alfred Duda, Senior Adviser, Global Environment Facility

Dr. Sylvia Earle, Executive Director, Global Marine Programme, Conservation International

Dr. Serge Garcia, Director, Marine Fisheries Resources, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Dr. Vladimir Golitsyn, Director, UN Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea

Ms. Lynne Hale, Director, Marine Strategy, The Nature Conservancy

Dr. Indumathie Hewawasam, Senior Environmental Specialist, World Bank

Dr. Andrew Hudson, Principal Technical Advisor, International Waters, United Nations Development Programme

Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul, Mauritius and Chair, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)

Dr. Gerard J. Mangone, Professor, University of Delaware

Mr. Gerald Miles, The Nature Conservancy

Dr. Iouri Oliounine, Executive Director, International Ocean Institute

Mr. Tiago Pitta e Cunha, European Commission, former Coordinator, Portuguese Strategic Commission for Oceans

Ms. Cristelle Pratt, Director, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission

Dr. Jean-François Pulvenis de Séligny, Director, Fishery Policy and Planning Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Ms. Diane Quarless, Chief, SIDS Unit, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Professor Mario Ruivo, Chairman, Portuguese Committee for IOC

Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, President, Nippon Foundation

Ambassador Enele Sopoaga, Tuvalu and Vice-Chair, AOSIS

Mr. John Turner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Dr. David VanderZwaag, Head of IUCN Specialist Group on Ocean Law and Governance

Professor Jon Van Dyke, University of Hawaii School of Law

Dr. Veerle Vandeweerd, Director, UNEP Regional Seas Programme and UNEP-Global Programme of Action for the -Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities

SELECTED INVITED SPEAKERS ON NATIONAL AND REGIONAL OCEAN POLICIES

Australia: Donna Petrachenko, Director, National Oceans Office; Ben Addison, National Oceans Office; Russell Reichelt, CEO, CRC Reef Research Center

Brazil: Milton Asmus, Professor, Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande; Dr. Ademilson Zamboni, Coordinator, National Coastal Zone Management Program, Brazil

Canada: Camille Mageau, Director, DFO; David VanderZwaag, Professor, Dalhousie University

China: Haiqing Li, Director, International Affairs, State Oceanic Administration; Yang Jinsen, China Institute for Marine Affairs

Cook Islands: Robert Woonton, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Marine Resources; John Low, Independent Consultant

France: Elie Jarmache, Secrétariat Général de la Mer

India: Harsh K. Gupta, Secretary, Department of Ocean Development

Jamaica: Laletta Davis-Mattis, National Environment Planning Authority; Franklin McDonald, former Director, National Environment Planning Authority; Peter Edwards, University of West Indies and University of Delaware

Japan: Hiroshi Terashima, Executive Director, Institute for Ocean Policy, Ocean Policy Research Foundation; Moritaka Hayashi, Waseda University

Mexico: Antonio Diaz de Leon, Director-General, Environmental Policy, SEMARNAT;Evelia Rivera-Arriaga, Professor, Centro EPOMEX

Netherlands: Els. M. de Wit, Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management; Han Lindeboom, Senior Scientist, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

New Zealand: Prue Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Department of Planning, University of Auckland

Norway: Terje Lobach, Senior Legal Adviser, Directorate of Fisheries; Alf Hakon Hoel, Associate Professor, University of Tromso

Philippines: Robert Jara, Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Jay Batongbacal, Philippine Center for Marine Affairs, Inc.

Portugal: Mario Ruivo, Chairman, Portuguese Committee for IOC; Tiago Pitta e Cunha, Member, Cabinet of Fisheries and Maritime Commissioner, EU

Russian Federation: Yuriy M. Kolochkov, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade; Genrikh K. Voytolovskiy, Council for Study of Productive Forces; Yuriy Mikhaylichenko, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade

Tanzania: Mrs. Zakia Hamdani Meghji, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism; Magnus Ngoile, Director-General, Environmental Management Council

United States: Biliana Cicin-Sain, Professor, University of Delaware, and Charles Ehler, Vice Chair, IUCN WCPA-Marine;

United Kingdom: John Roberts, Head, Marine and Waterways Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Hance Smith, Professor, Cardiff University

Vietnam: Nguyen Chu Hoi, Ministry of Fisheries; Hoang Ngoc Giao, Vietnam National University

Africa region: Ali Mohamed, New Partnership for Africa's Development; Indu Hewawasam, Africa Region, World Bank

South Pacific: Transform Aqorau, Legal Counsel, Forum Fisheries Agency; Cristelle Pratt, South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission; Seremaia Tuqiri, WWF (South Pacific Programme)

European Union: John Richardson, Head, Maritime Policy Task Force, Directorate-General Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, European Commission, Tiago Pitta e Cunha, European Commission, Stefano Belfiore, IOC


Examples of countries and regions which have developed or are developing integrated ocean policy include: