Four MPAs Named Flagship Sites of Coral Triangle Marine Protected Area System

The first four flagship sites of the Coral Triangle Marine Protected Area System (CTMPAS) were revealed on May 13 in a launch activity at the sidelines of the World Coral Reef Conference in Manado, Indonesia.

The four sites – Wakatobi National Park in Indonesia, Turtle Islands Park in Malaysia, and Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary and Tubbataha Reefs National Park World Heritage Site in the Philippines – were found to have met the criteria set out under the CTMPAS Framework and Action Plan for “Category 4: Flagship Sites,” defined as “large, already effectively managed sites that have regional ecological, governance and socioeconomic importance.”

Nine other nominated sites were assessed as “Category 3: Priority Development Sites,” or sites that do not meet the CTMPAS management effectiveness criteria for Category 4 but are proposed as priority sites for conservation and technical assistance because of their regional ecological, governance or socioeconomic importance. They include (1) Anambas Islands Marine Recreational Park, Indonesia; (2) Pangumbahan Turtle Coastal Park, Indonesia; (3) Savu Sea Marine National Park, Indonesia; (4) Tun Mustapha Park, Malaysia; (5) Kulungi Locally-Managed Marine Area (LMMA), PNG; (6) Lolobau LMMA, PNG; (7) Tarobi LMMA, PNG; (8) Zinoa Marine Conservation Area, Solomon Islands; and (9) Nino Konis Santana National Park, Timor Leste.

The CTMPAS is a system that is intended to scale up and maximize the food, income and ecological benefits of marine protection and management through the adoption of regional criteria for management effectiveness. It is being developed by the CTI-CFF Countries as part of their commitment to address threats to the sustainability of coastal and marine resources in the Coral Triangle, including many key species and resources whose range and habitats extend throughout the region across national boundaries.

In an interview after the launch, Dr. Vincent Hilomen, a reef fisheries expert and Executive Director for Priority Programs of the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources, described the CTMPAS as a “very bold idea.”

“If, as we hope, the CTMPAS results in improved levels of management for each of the individual MPAs in the Coral Triangle, the ecological, governance and socioeconomic benefits from these MPAs will accrue regionally,” said Dr. Hilomen, who represented the CTI-CFF MPA Technical Working Group Chair, Ms Mundita Lim, at the launch.

The May 13 launch was also an occasion to celebrate five years of collaboration by the countries and their development partners, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), World Wide Fund for Nature and Conservation International.

Click here to view map showing locations of the 13 sites.