Ocean and Islands Programme for The Federated States of Micronesia
The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the ocean and island ecosystems of the FSM 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 providing resource use solutions and assessments to its Island States membership. The Ocean and Islands Programme also provides assistance and support towards the development of sound policies and regulations, and meeting obligations under various treaties and agreements.
Outputs under the ‘resource use solutions’ and ‘monitoring the physical and chemical change in ecosystems’ components of the Programme can address many of FSM’s issues that relate to sustainable development. These issues will need to be considered by the FSM Government when they develop their National Sustainable Development Strategy and related plan of action.
Past Interventions
Interventions in FSM that relate to the Ocean and Islands Programme include the assessment of, provision of technical advice and recommendations for the sustainable development of their natural resources. A number of interventions have concluded in FSM through the collaboration of the government and SOPAC.
FSM’s EEZ was explored in 1997 and 1998 respectively to assess and determine the potential for cobalt rich manganese crust, in particular in the areas of Caroline Islands in the Yap State (Kojima, 1999). Geophysical features and assessment results indicated a vast cobalt resource potential, which however was not as huge as that of the Marshall Islands. The exploration was made possible through the JAPAN/SOPAC Deep Sea Mineral Resource Programme to explore the mineral potential within the seabed of SOPAC Member Countries (Kojima 2001).
Further work was undertaken for the coastal areas of Kosrae and Pohnpei State. An assessment of the outer islands of Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap States reveal the cause of erosion to be both human induced erosion (aggregates mining in nearshore and onland) and erosion caused by natural processes (climate change etc) (Maharaj, 1998). Relevant recommendations were made to the governing authorities to counter the problem of erosion. In addition to the assessment and ensuing recommendations , beach profiles that were established earlier on in 1995 to monitor climate and coastal changes were re-surveyed (Woodward, 1998), and coastal surveys undertaken to locate alternative sources of aggregates that would meet the demand for construction as well as ensure aggregates resource mining is sustainable (Woodward & Shorten, 1996).
The high demand for aggregates for construction purposes can be attributed to the rising population and the demand for infrastructure and buildings. A Coastal Geology survey to determine the possible onshore sources of sand and aggregate was completed in 1999; a Geo-technical evaluation in 1999 of on-shore Aggregate was completed to determine the possibility of mining on land sites for the construction industry of Ponphei . Further, technical advice in geology and oceanography was provided to the Pohnpei Environmental Protection Agency EPA on the dredging activity in the Ponphei Lagoon . The technical advice was to assist in the overall development of relevant legislation that would protect other sustainable activities from the negative effects of dredging the lagoon.
Other initiatives completed for FSM include:
- Multi-beam surveys of Chuuk and Yap harbours as well as Uluthi Lagoon to determine the source of pollution from the World War 2 sunken warship in the Lagoon. An oil spill was traced to originate from the wreckage and so the survey was also to obtain all relevant data on the wreckage.
- Provision of technical advice for the preparation of a Scope of Works for an Environmental Impact Assessment for a diesel generating Power Plant in Pohnpei.
Current Issues for Micronesia (Federated States of)
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 various assessment reports and national development plans of FSM:
- Ensuring sustainable management, utilisation and conservation of ocean and coastal marine resources.
- Overexploitation and degradation of coastal and marine ecosystems, including mangrove forests.
- The use of inappropriate and unsustainable fishing practices.
- Changes to the structure and biodiversity of reef systems.
- Loss of sea grass habitats from lagoon and sheltered reef flats.
- Considerable increase in coastal erosion with resultant shoreline retreat.
- Terrestrial and marine pollution e.g. oil spills, coastal waste dumpsites.
- Need to improve and develop scientific marine and coastal resource survey and monitoring techniques.
- Need to strengthen the resource database.
- Need to reform laws and regulations in relation to marine resource development and management.
- Lack of human resources and capacity to manage ocean systems.
- Need to complete the maritime boundary delimitations of the nation, and implement the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
- Lack of public awareness of marine resource conservation.
- Significant costs associated with fieldwork in geographically dispersed areas of the FSM.
Programme Response
The Ocean and Islands Programme address island ecosystems through the improvement of scientific knowledge for the sustainable development and management of natural resources. This is reflected in the components of the programme, which tackle sustainable development issues through regional programmes as well as through specific requests from the member countries themselves. SOPAC’s programme is designed to cut across all their member countries. These tasks main components being:
- 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 .
These regional components are implemented at national level in FSM. Currently these are:
- The Assessment Survey for Hydrographic Mapping of Commercial Seaports, namely Chuk and Yap harbours and Ulithi Lagoon ;
- The provision of advice and support to the FSM Government on legal and policy issues Relating to the Law of the Sea, delimitation and the continental shelf, marine scientific research and offshore minerals policy and legislation relating to exploration and mining ;
- The Coordination of Marine Scientific Research and Retrieval of Offshore Data.
- Preliminary Claims Preparation for Justifying Extensions to the Outer Edge and Continental Shelf
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