Pages - WCPA.Marine Summit

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Launch of The Official MPA = Blog

One of the key elements of = the WCPA =E2=80=93=20 Marine Plan of Action is to develop effective communication = mechanisms=20 across the world on MPAs in support of all our work. The MPA = Summit was a=20 major milestone and created the email and web framework that we = have used=20 since then to communicate on key issues. This autumn sees WCPA = =E2=80=93 Marine=20 reach another milestone as we upgrade all our web-based systems. = In=20 advance of that, the process by which we communicate with you is = being=20 upgraded ahead of time. We are moving to a new web-based news = platform =E2=80=93=20 The Official MPA Blog. This is now up and running=20 at:http://officialmpa.blogspot.com/

It can be accessed by clicking here!

These=20 pages will be retained as archive material and can be accessed = from The=20 Official MPA Blog homepage

*=20 * * * * * * * * * * *

Welcome to the IUCN WCPA - Marine Summit web site =20

WCPA - Marine news for 2008 = including:

June '08 Consultation on new = marine=20 guidance to improve the application of the IUCN protected area = management=20 catogories system to our oceans and seas...NEW!!!

June '08 = Consultation on the=20 proposed manual 'Governing MPAs: a guide to getting the balance=20 right'...NEW!!!

March '08 An update = and=20 consultation on the proposed publication 'How Is Your MPA=20 Managed?'

March '08 Kohei = Hibino appointed=20 as Regional Coordinator for the north-west Pacific.

Jan '08 WCPA - = Marine launches a=20 major strategic planning effort

Jan '08 Minimum = information and=20 standards for reporting on MPAs

Jan '08 Report = released on High=20 Seas Spatial Measures and associated conservation = proposals

Jan '08 An update on = the revsion=20 of the IUCN Category Systems

Jan '08 Progress = report on the new=20 IUCN WCPA - Marine publication 'How Is Your MPA = Managed?'

Previous news from 2007

Update on the Latin = American Parks=20 Congress: 2008--2018 la decada de las areas marinas=20 protegidas

Update on the Latin = American Parks=20 Congress: 2008-2018 to be "decade of MPAs"

Help build our = library of key IUCN=20 WCPA - Marine documents in foreign languagues

2 remaining vacancies for = WCPA - Marine=20 Regional Coordinator posts (voluntary positions)

Moi Khim Tan = appointed as Regional=20 Coordinator for the East Asian Sea

Arthi Sridhar = appointed as=20 Regional Coordinator for the Central Indian Ocean

Dr Charlotte = Karibuhoye=20 appointed as WCPA - Marine = Regional Coordinator=20 for West Africa

Kate Willis = appointed as Regional=20 Coordinator for the North East Pacific

A self-assessment = checklist for=20 building networks of MPAs

Press release -=20 MPA Workshop at the = LATIN-AMERICAN=20 PARKS CONGRESS

[Spanish = version] [Portugese=20 verions]

The Washington MPA Summit (see below)

Next steps for WCPA - Marine (see = below)

Plan of Action update: High Seas MPAs,=20 and

an update on marine issues discussed at the = Categories=20 Summit!

The MPA Summit = was held at=20 the National Geographic Society in Washington DC from 10 - 12 April = 2007. It=20 brought together members of the WCPA - Marine Senior Advisory = Group and=20 WCPA - Marine Regional Coordinators with other key members of the = global=20 MPA community. The purpose of the Summit was to agree a new = global=20 MPA Call to Action and seek views on the key priorities, messages, = actions=20 and partnerships that will support our work in the coming = years, and=20 that will therefore form the final version of WCPA - Marine Plan = of=20 Action. To see the Call for Action in French and English, and to = see the=20 original Summit backing papers, please use the = links at the=20 bottom of this page. For general information about the = Plan of=20 Action process and how we are developing WCPA - Marine, please = visit the=20 main IUCN = WCPA - Marine=20 web site. This=20 is where the final version of the Plan of Action will be posted, = when it=20 has been completed. During the Summit=20 we were delighted to be joined by Joseph Uravitch, Director = of the=20 National MPA Center, National Ocean Service, NOAA, = who launched=20 a new guide to Establishing Marine Protected Area=20 Networks - Making it Happen. To read on line or = download a pdf copy please click here.

As a result of the Summit the foundations are now laid = for=20 implementing a strong global partnership approach, giving added = value to=20 the already impressive and significant track records of the global = MPA=20 community in implementing MPAs and MPA networks. The text = below sets=20 out the next steps for taking forward WCPA - Marine's global = MPA=20 agenda.

From the feedback I have received since the Summit, the = unanimous=20 view has been that the event both achieved all of its objectives = and=20 exceeded expectations. It is wonderful to receive such feedback, = so thank=20 you once again from the Summit team! I am totally committed to = ensuring=20 that the momentum we have developed is carried forward, but to be=20 successful we will need to carefully prioritise what we can do in = the=20 coming weeks to avoid 'overload through enthusiasm'! I have = therefore=20 spent the last two weeks reflecting on the achievements made at = the Summit=20 and yesterday held a review and planning day with IUCN marine = colleagues=20 in Gland.

My conclusion is that there is a strong need for = prioritisation. To=20 take WCPA - Marine forward we will focus activities around a = twin-track=20 approach for:

Strengthening and growing WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine, and =
Developing our products and services.

The priorities for each of these areas for the next few = months are=20 outlined below.

1.=20 = Strengthening and=20 growing the capabilities of WCPA =E2=80=93 = Marine.

a.=20 Completion = of the=20 WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine Regional Coordinator global framework. = This remains a=20 priority and we will be working to complete the group of = global=20 coordinators in the next few months. For those of you that = attended the=20 Summit and promised to follow-up on ideas for new coordinators, = please=20 email me asap with the results of your regional discussions.=20

b.=20 Development of the = global=20 membership of WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine. At the Summit we started = a process to=20 develop and expand the global membership of the Commission. Thank = you for=20 all your ideas on individuals we can approach. In the next = two months=20 we will implement a membership process in full consultation = with WCPA=20 Regional Vice Chairs to take all such issues forwards. Naomi in = Natural=20 England, and Delwyn Dupuis and Anne Erb in Gland are joining = forces to=20 support this work. The process we are developing will enable us to = add new=20 marine members to the Commission and expand the wider virtual = network.=20 Once this is up and running we will keep you informed on progress, = and=20 from time to time seek your views on appointing individuals in = remaining=20 countries with no WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine representation. =

c.=20 Development = of the=20 David and Lucile Packard Organisational Effectiveness Grant. = As=20 mentioned at the Summit, to move forward as WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine = we will need to=20 not only develop and implement ideas on priorities, but also we = will need=20 to develop WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine itself. This is in order for us = to have the=20 capacity and capabilities to follow through on such ideas. We are=20 extremely grateful to the Packard Foundation for a generous grant = to help=20 us do this, specifically on development and implementation of=20 organisational effectiveness. The Packard Foundation see this as a = 'challenge grant' to attract further financial support, so if you = know of=20 organisations that may be interested in being involved in such a = way to=20 support the vitalisation of WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine please let me = know. Over the=20 next few weeks we will be developing the basic specification for = this work=20 with a view to, as soon as is practicable, appointing the external = consultants who will support us in this activity. I will keep you = in touch=20 with this as it developed, and I anticipate that a number of you = will=20 become directly involved, especially when we may ask you to = discuss issues=20 and ideas with the consultants we appoint.

2.=20 Developing = WCPA =E2=80=93=20 Marine products and services

a.=20 Development = and=20 implementation of a project plan for the Wet List. We agreed = at the=20 end of the Summit, and through the Regional Coordinators Forum, = that this=20 is something we should move forward on, with the expectation of = taking a=20 number of outputs to the World Conservation Congress, to be held = in=20 Barcelona in October 2008. Since the Summit Regional Coordinators = have=20 worked hard to provide an initial appraisal of their regions = (thank you!),=20 particularly on opportunities to rapidly improve data and on = important=20 issues for implementation of the Wet List. Alongside this we have = now=20 commenced MOU negotiations with Sylvia Earle's DOER organisation = to=20 present key outputs from the Wet List work on the internet. We = have also=20 been through a process looking at logistical and other issues = associated=20 with the name of this initiative. We have concluded that the best = option=20 remains 'the Wet List', and we will remove any confusion over = freshwater=20 issues etc through the design of the logo and development of an=20 appropriate one sentence strap line to set out what this is about. = We have=20 accordingly acquired the web options for this name as IUCN's = latest=20 flagship product. Next steps will be the development of a more = detailed=20 project plan =E2=80=93 this will be developed and shared with = Regional=20 Coordinators and yourselves in the coming month. Once we have this = detailed project plan we will commence funding discussions with=20 interested/relevant organisations like yourselves and the donor = community.=20

b.=20 Commencing the = development=20 of the web portal to share good practices for MPA networks. We = agreed=20 at the end of the Summit that this something we should proceed = with=20 through a partnership project. The portal could be a key = deliverable we=20 can also take to the World Conservation Congress. In the next few = weeks I=20 will initiate the development process by writing to the steering = group we=20 identified at the end of the Washington Summit. This will be to = discuss=20 and agree how we will take this action forwards as a group. Once = we have a=20 thought through proposal on the shape, nature, and objectives for = the=20 portal we will share this with Summit participants and = interested=20 individuals for comment before the building of the web portal = begins.=20 The web portal may perhaps be a global trial of IUCN's new = Protected Area=20 Learning Network (PALNet) system. This activity will take forward = a number=20 of Summit issues we identified under the management effectiveness, = good=20 practices, and other priorities.

c.=20 Supporting = the IUCN=20 Categories Summit in Spain in early May. We will follow = through on the=20 discussions we had in Washington and will hold a workshop session = on=20 marine aspects of the IUCN categories, agreeing the shape and = nature of=20 the revisions that are needed to improve application in the marine = environment. In the two weeks since the Summit a small group of = Members=20 and I have been working hard to revise the document. This backing = paper=20 will be posted on this web site and on the Categories Summit web = site by=20 the end of the first week in May.

d.=20 Development of the = WCPA =E2=80=93=20 Marine Plan of Action. The Summit has been exceptionally = helpful in=20 supporting the development of the Plan of Action. Since the Summit = all the=20 inputs have now been transcribed into Microsoft Word documents for = each=20 session. This material will be used to feed into the final version = of the=20 Plan of Action, which is the main output from the Summit, = alongside the=20 Call for Action. The next step will be to develop a specification = for the=20 Plan of Action document, which we will circulate to the core group = that=20 kindly offered to help with this process. This will occur in the = next few=20 weeks after which, via email, we will develop a writing team to = draft the=20 text. As stated at the Summit, once we have a satisfactory draft = this will=20 be subject to a 30-day web-based consultation, after which it will = be=20 produced in final format and widely available in English, Spanish = and=20 French. Alongside the high level strategic text of the Plan of = Action we=20 will also develop detailed plans for WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine = priorities, which will=20 be drawn from the initial backing papers presented at the = Washington=20 Summit. We will also be introducing some new strands that will run = throughout the Plan of Action, including broader socio-economic = issues and=20 matters of governance, equity and = benefit=20 sharing.

Clearly addressing these issues set out above is a = massive=20 undertaking on its own. I do think though that given the available = resources it represents a balanced programme that addresses = current=20 priorities whilst investing in the future for the marine work of = the=20 Commission.

In addition to these major actions we will also be taking = forward=20 other Summit issues this year such as:

Marine spatial planning and MPAs, through the Nordic = meeting=20 being organised by Ole Vestergaard (6 =E2=80=93 8 June, = Copenhagen), and also=20 through continuing working with Bud Ehler on the UNESCO/IOC work = stream;=20
Marine species issues, through the Marine Conservation = Sub=20 Committee of the Special Survival Commission, which meets in = Gland,=20 Switzerland on 25 =E2=80=93 27 July;
MPAs and fisheries, through continuing work to develop = links with=20 Jane Lubchenco's Science of Marine Reserves initiative (joining = up for=20 their meeting at the Society for Conservation Biology meeting at = Port=20 Elisabeth, South Africa, on 1 =E2=80=93 4 July, and also through = support for the=20 European Symposium on MPAs as a tool for fisheries management = and=20 ecosystem conservation (Murcia, Spain, 24 =E2=80=93 28 = September). =20

The speed with which we move forward is directly related = to our=20 capacity and the ideas we develop together as a group, drawing = from the=20 initial Summit discussions. As and when we agree next steps on = other=20 issues, such as climate change and High Seas issues, I will update = this=20 site to keep you informed and involved. You may detect though = that=20 the work listed above will more than occupy the half of my work = programme=20 we can direct to WCPA =E2=80=93 Marine issues, so if you want to = volunteer to lead=20 a theme please don't be shy in sending me an email!

Finally many of you asked about who made the statue we = gave to=20 Graeme Kelleher as his = lifetime=20 achievement award. This unique whale model was a private = commission that=20 was hand made for us by David Cooke. He is based in Yorkshire. = Commissions=20 can be taken through their web site ( http://www.sculpturelounge.com/pages/dave/dave.htm and http://www.animalceramics.co.uk/ ).

Dan=20 Laffoley

IUCN=20 WCPA - Marine Vice Chair

7=20 August 2007

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE TO SEE THE FULL = LIST OF=20 SUPPORTING INFORMATION PAGES

=20 screensaver=20	Aug 14=20
=20 Consul= tation=20 on marine guidance for the IUCN protected area management = categories=20 system	Jun 1=20
=20 A=20 consultation on the proposed new publication 'Governing MPAs: a = guide to=20 getting the balance right'	Jun 1=20
Outline Proposal MPA governance = guide.doc	Jun 1=20
Draft guidelines 26-05-08 clean = copy.doc	Jun 1=20
MPA Guidance_DL_final draft.doc =	Jun 1=20
=20 Latest=20 Regional Coordinator Map	Mar 19=20
improved temp appointments arctic realigned = 270108.JPG	Mar 19=20
=20 An=20 update and consultation on 'How Is Your MPA Managed?'	Mar 19=20
How is Your MPA Managed concept = paper=20 03-12-08.pdf	Mar 19 =