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• Past Interventions
• Current Issues for The Cook Islands
• Programme Response

The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the ocean and island ecosystems of the Cook Islands create both opportunities and constraints to its development. The recognition of these ecosystems, as components of the Earth system - a dynamic, complex blend of environmental, economic and social factors interacting in a myriad of ways - is absolutely fundamental to the understanding of sustainable development.

The overall goal of the Ocean and Islands Programme, to improve scientific knowledge of ocean and island ecosystems for the sustainable management of natural resources, demonstrates a clear role in ecosystem management, with interventions focused on mapping and monitoring the physical and chemical attributes of ecosystems, and to providing resource use solutions and assessments to its island States membership. The Ocean and Islands Programme also provides assistance and support toward the development of sound policies and regulations, and meeting obligations under various treaties and agreements such as the United National Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Outputs under the ‘resource use solutions’ and ‘monitoring the physical and chemical change in ecosystems’ components of the Programme can address many of the Cook Islands’ issues that relate to sustainable development. These issues will need to be considered by the Cook Islands Government when they develop their National Sustainable Development Strategy and related plan of action.

Past Interventions

A number of interventions contributing to the sustainable development of the Cook Islands natural resources have occurred in the Cook Islands since their membership in 1973 [then CCOP/SOPAC].

One of the first interventions was the deep-sea mineral prospecting in the late 70s, within their EEZ. This began with preliminary survey cruises of the offshore and near shore areas whose geological formation suggest the potential for various minerals and other natural resources within the sea-bed areas (Landmasser and Kroenke, 1976). Ensuing collaborative cruises between SOPAC and International Marine Scientific Research Institutions such as the JAPAN/SOPAC deep-sea mineral resource programme and the Tripartite Cruises [ANZ/USA/SOPAC], then confirmed the mineral potential of manganese nodules (Meylan, 1986), as well as the existence of precious coral in certain areas of the EEZ. In more recent decades, the high cobalt content of the manganese nodule of the Cook Islands have been publicised as a viable economic resource for their nation. It’s mining potential and impact on the environment was assessed in 2000 on behalf of the Cook Islands Government. The location of nodules on large plains on the seafloor makes mining nodules attractive (Kingan, 1998).

In addition to deep-sea mineral prospecting, the development of the Cook Islands coastal areas was also assited. A number of their coasts are a natural resource utilised by the tourism industry. In order for the proper coastal management and protection of these places, baseline data were collated, beach profiles established and coastal mapping undertaken emphasising coastal development from a geological perspective as well as the need of coastal mapping in relation to geo-hazards (Howorth, 1995). Coastal mapping was also used to provide recommendations for the Cook Islands’ government in the development of a strategy for the foreshore protection of the two Islands of Aitutaki and Rarotonga, where the coastline had been altered by natural and man-made hazards, and climatic conditions (He, 1999).

Another industry that was assisted is the pearl farm in Manihiki Lagoon. Surveys of the lagoon were completed in 1997 and in 2001, assistance was metered to the industry to determine the cause of the disease outbreak in pearl oysters in the lagoon as well as recommend manageable solutions to counter the outbreak. Initiatives included the mapping of the seafloor and shoreline using GIS technology and also the monitoring and modeling of the physical and chemical parameters of the lagoon. In May 2002, a workshop to train pearl farm operators in the use of GIS maps to record data collected from the pearl farms was conducted.

Finally, past interventions within the Cook Islands included the training of relevant Nationals from the Ministry of Marine Resources was sent on a practical attachment to the SOPAC Secretariat to be trained in work programme and financial management utilising relevant technology. The training placement was designed to build the capacity of the Ministry of Marine Resources through improving management efficiency .

Current Issues for The Cook Islands

The following environmental, economic and social issues and concerns that can be addressed under the Oceans and Islands Programme, either wholly or in part, have been cited in the National Environmental Management Strategy of the Cook Islands:

• Extensive mining of beach sand is causing coastal retreat on Rarotonga.
• Need for improved utilisation of offshore marine resources and the development of mariculture [pearl fishing, giant clam, and trochus shell farming].
• Need to establish and manage protected areas.
• Conservation of biodiversity.
• Soil erosion and resultant siltation of lagoon and reef.
• Increased organic and nutrient levels in the ocean arising from waste disposal and agricultural chemical pollution.
• Unplanned infrastructure development at the foreshore.
• Unsustainable fishing practices.
• Need to improve and update basic data on natural resources.
• Inadequate human resources in environmental management.
• Lack of policies and legislation for the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources.
• Poor coordination among resource use, planning and management agencies.
• Lack of public awareness about existing environmental legislation.

Programme Response

The sustainable development issues of the Cook Islands have initiated a pragmatic response from SOPAC, one of amongst the other development partners of this Nation. Programme Components of the Ocean and Islands Programme are designed to cut across all their member countries. These responses are:

• The establishment and maintenance of a regional deep-sea minerals database.
• The Certificate of Earth Science and Marine Geology [CESMG] builds the capacity of island member nationals in the areas of applied geoscience and forms the basis, for some, to pursue higher education in degree courses in geoscience.
• SOPAC’s monitoring of the physical and chemical change in ecosystems of island member countries embraces the philosophy of Global Ocean Observing Systems [GOOS], which advocates public access to long-term oceanographic data and information. The recently established regional alliance of GOOS, the Pacific Islands – Global Ocean Observing System [PI-GOOS] , seeks to ensure that relevant applications for ocean observations and resulting products from global, regional and national long-term observing systems are developed and made available to Pacific Island end-users in order that they can make better decisions for sustainable development.
• The South Pacific Sea Level and Climate Monitoring Project provides tide gauge and other data, and related products, collected over the past fifteen years. SOPAC provides an important maintenance and operations role for project equipment installations.
• SOPAC also offers assistance in the area of Ocean Governance, by offering professional development programmes for strengthening legal and negotiation skills of advocates for maritime boundary delimitation , the implementation of Part XIII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [UNCLOS] through the provision of technical skills and policy advice , and the coordination of issues related to the Law of the Sea in their member country regions .

Filtering down to the national level, the above components are implemented through various initiatives currently underway within the Cook Islands. These initiatives are:

• The monitoring of the EEZ of the Cook Islands. This includes, the assessment of international trends in the supply and demand of manganese nodules as this determines the viability of this mineral resource to their economy. It also includes the retrieval and storage of geological, geophysical, geochemical and other relevant physical oceanographic data, acquired by foreign researching states and organizations during marine scientific research, under the national jurisdiction within a 12 nautical mile limit as well as the provision of advice and support on legal and policy issues relating to the Law of the Sea .
• The installation of a long-term, real-time water quality monitoring system in Manihiki Lagoon to enable stakeholders to base their planning and management decisions on reliable data.
• A bathymetry map and GIS system of Penrhyn Lagoon are being produced for improved planning, management and development .
• The assessment of harbours, the port area and adjacent coastal areas of Rarotonga and the monitoring of Avatiu Harbour to assess the impacts on circulation and flushing of a new boat basin .