21st February, 2019 The Marine Spatial Planning Project technical working group dubbed as the Ocean 7 met with town and district officers from Nukunuku, Hihifo, Kolofo’ou and Kolomotu’a today at the Department of Energy conference room to discuss proposed consultation plans in Tongatapu about Tonga’s marine spatial plan.
Senior Project Manager Ms. Lilieta Takau said, “The public consultations about Tonga’s Ocean Plan started in Ha’apai last year and from there we went to Vava’u and ‘Eua. People in the islands are at home with the sea and have been very supportive of having an Ocean Plan for all of Tonga’s waters.”
The Ocean 7 team will start consultation meetings throughout Tongatapu in March and April, followed by the two Niuas.
“The town and district officers of Tongatapu have been positive and welcomed these two days of discussing a range of ocean issues from seafloor minerals and deep sea mining, vulnerability to storm surges and climate change, excessive marine pollution, Special Management Areas to compliance and enforcement issues.”
“After this round of consultations, we will start mapping ocean zones for our EEZ. By July there will be a draft Ocean map ready for the public to view and provide feedback towards. We plan to finalize and submit the Ocean Plan by December. We are also drafting an Ocean legal framework to accompany the Plan.”
MSP has been ongoing for the past three years. In 2015, the Cabinet approved the development of a marine spatial plan and Ocean 7 was established, comprised of reps from seven government ministries. The Ocean 7 have gathered spatial data, identified priority marine places and the types of ocean zones.
The objectives of the plan is to ensure that ocean resources are utilized sustainably by all users, improve and conserve ocean biodiversity, consider climate change resilience and climate smart marine management practices among others.
The project is currently funded by the Waitt Foundation, Ocean 5 and the Italian Government and is partnered by local NGO, VEPA and the Vava’u Ocean Initiative.
ENDS
For more information please contact: Sisilia Ulakai, phone 25050.