NOWPAP
United Nations Environment Programme
Northwest
Pacific
Action Plan
Distr.
RESTRICTED
UNEP/NOWPAP/DINRAC
FPM 8/12
7 April 2009
Original: English
Northwest Pacific Action Plan
Data and Information Network
Regional Activity Centre
The 8th NOWPAP DINRAC Focal Points Meeting
Beijing, the People’s Republic of China, 19 - 21 May 2009
PROPOSAL FOR THE COLLECTING AND SORTING OUT RELATED NATIONAL
INFORMATION ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN THE NOWPAP REGION
UNEP/NOWPAP/DINRAC FPM 8/12
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PROPOSAL FOR THE COLLECTING AND SORTING OUT RELATED NATIONAL
INFORMATION ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS IN THE NOWPAP REGION
1. Definitions
“Marine and coastal protected area“ means any defined area within or adjacent to the marine
environment, together with its overlying waters and associated flora, fauna and historical and cultural
features, which has been reserved by legislation or other effective means, including custom, with the
effect that its marine and/or coastal biodiversity enjoys a higher level of protection (Convention on
Biological Diversity, 2004).
“Areas within the marine environment” include permanent shallow marine waters, sea bays, straits,
lagoons, estuaries, subtidal aquatic beds (kelp beds, tropical marine meadows), coral reefs, intertidal
muds, sand or salt flats and marshes, deep-water coral reef, deep-water vents, and open ocean habitats
(Convention on Biological Diversity, 2004).
2. Background
One of the reasons why marine and costal biodiversity is declining or being lost at the national, regional
and global level is the very low level of establishment of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas. Marine
Protected Areas (MPAs) are among the five key elements of the programme of work of the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) on marine and coastal biodiversity. The CBD target of developing MPA
networks by the year 2012 was set, together with other target to significantly reduce the current rate of
biodiversity loss at global, regional and national levels in marine areas.
3. Objectives of the proposed project
The proposed project is aiming at collecting and sorting out related national information on MPAs to
facilitate the exchange of and access to information on national, regional and global initiatives, using the
existing databases (e.g. MPA Global database - http://www.mpaglobal.org, World Database on Protected
Areas - http://www.wdpa.org). DINRAC will serve as a switchboard to provide information on MPAs in the
NOWPAP region to the MPA Global Database and others and share the benefit of providing such
information that is comparable across countries and regions. Based on the national inputs, a regional
report on MPAs in the NOWPAP region will be developed, which will facilitate establishment of MPA
networks at national, regional and global level.
4. Tasks
To collect and classify national information on MPAs, using international classification and requirements,
which will be shared with the existing global MPA-related database systems and contribute to
establishing MPA networks.
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5. Expected outputs
• National and regional information on MPAs available in the global databases (will be managed by
database and published on DINRAC website as NowpapMPA)
• A regional report on MPAs in the NOWPAP region (will be publish on DINRAC website and printed as
hard copy)
※ NowpapMPA will be shared with the global databases.
6. Estimated budget and time
• Project period: 1 year
- Compile national information (6 months)
- Review national information provided (2 months)
- Develop a regional report on MPAs in the NOWPAP region (2 months)
- Finalize a regional report, taking into account comments and suggestions to be raised by the
member states (2 months)
• Estimated budget: US$ 20,000
- National Focal Points (or national experts) (US$ 14,000, US$ 3,500 X 4 member states)
- Regional consultant (US$ 5,000)
- Publication (US$ 1,000)
※ It is suggested that the National Focal Points or the national experts nominated by the Focal Points to
compile the Form to collect the information on Marine Protected Areas (see Annex I), in addition,
qualified consultant will be hired by DINRAC to develop the regional report based on collected
information.
7. Actions required

Draft and sign the MOUs between DINRAC and National Focal Points of member states (or national
experts nominated by the Focal Points)

Create a list of MAP in NOWPAP. The list will be created based on the global databases (e.g. MAP
Global databases, WDPA) and NowpapNR by DINRAC and confirmed/update/supplemented by
National Focal Points or national experts.

Finalize the Form to collect the information on MAP by DINRAC with the support of National Focal
Points or national experts.

Collect the information and submit the Forms by National Focal Points.

Harmonize the data, establish and publish the database by DINRAC.

Hire a regional consultant to compile the regional report by DINRAC based on collected national
information.

Publish the regional report on the DINRAC website and print as hard copy by DINRAC.

Disseminate the hard copies and share the outputs with concerned organizations.
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Annex I:
Information on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Site name
Location
Latitude:
Longitude:
Total size of the MPA (Km 2)
Total sea’s surface area (Km2) of the country
Total EEZ area (Km2) of the country
Geographic region
Select a geographical region type and cross (X)
(
) FAO Fisheries Area:
(
) Large Marine Ecosystem:
(
) MEOW Ecoregion
(
) Ocean
(
) WWF G200 Ecoregion
MPA designated under international convention/programme
Select a convention/programme and cross (X)
(
) Convention on Biological Diversity
(
) Ramsar Convention
(
) World Heritage Convention
(
) UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme
(
) Habitats Directive
MPA designated under national law
1. Name of law/regulations (in English):
Name of law/regulation (in national language):
Date of entry into force:
A brief summary of relevant articles:
2. Name of law/regulations (in English):
Name of law/regulation (in national language):
Date of entry into force:
A brief summary of relevant articles:
If more, describe in the same manner:
Designation Status
Cross (X) one of the following IUCN categories
(
) Designated
(
) informally designated
(
) Degazetted*
(
) Proposed
(
) Recommended
(
) Unknown
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* No longer (legally or non-legally) recognised as a MPA
Marine Components
Cross (X) one of the following categories
(
) Intertidal
(
) Subtidal
(
) Both
(
) No Data Available
Type of protection and management (proposed or being implemented)
Cross (x) one of the following categories:
(
) Representative highly-protected areas where extractive uses are excluded
(
) Additional marine and coastal protected areas
(
) Sustainable-management practices in the wider marine and coastal environment
No-take regulation
(
) All of the MPA is no-take
(
) Part of the MPA is no-take
(
) None of the MPA is no-take
(
) Unknown if any part of the MPA is no-take
Temporal aspects (e.g. permanency or seasonality of protection or management)
IUCN Category
Cross (X) one of the following categories (details as attached below)
(
) Ia – Strict nature reserve
(
) Ib – Widerness area
(
) II – National (marine) park
(
) III – Natural monument
(
) IV – Habitat/species management area
(
) V - Protected landscape/seascape
(
) VI – Management resource protected area (
) None
(
) Unset
(
) Unapplicable
Effectiveness of protection and management gauged against the regime being proposed or
being implemented
Cross (X) one of the following categories:
(
) Currently fully effective – no significant problems known
(
) Currently partially effective – some deficiencies
(
) Currently ineffective – significant implementation problems
Habitats and species specially excluded from protection/management within the marine and
coastal protected area (i.e., that have no legal protection)
Nature of threats to habitats/species
Cross (X) one or more of the following categories where appropriate
(
) Physical loss: removal (e.g., harvesting, draining to create dry land) and smothering (e.g., by
artificial structures, disposal of dredged spoil)
(
) Physical damage: siltation (e.g., run-off, outfalls), abrasion (e.g. boating, anchoring,
trampling) and selective extraction (e.g. aggregating dredging, entanglement, turf cutting)
(
) Non-physical disturbance: noise (e.g. boat activity) and visual (e.g., recreation activity)]
(
) Toxic contamination: introduction of synthetic compounds (e.g., pesticides, antifoulants,
PCBs), introduction of non-synthetic compounds (e.g., heavy metals, hydrocarbons), and
introduction of radio nuclides
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(
(
) Non-toxic contamination: nutrient enrichment (e.g., agricultural run-off, outfalls), organic
enrichment (e.g., mariculture, outfalls), changes in thermal regime (e.g., outfalls , power
stations), changes in turbidity (e.g., run-off, dredging) and changes in salinity (e.g., water
abstraction, outfalls)
) Biological disturbances: introduction of microbial pathogens; introduction of non-native
species and translocations, and selective extraction of species (e.g., bait collection,
wildfowling, commercial and recreational fishing)
Knowledge and research efforts on MPAs (if any)
National information initiative on MPAs including online system (if any)
Further plan to submit national information on MPAs to the international organization (e.g.
Convention on Biological Diversity) and related programmes (e.g. MPA Global Database)
National strength to address MPAs
National weakness to address MPAs
Gaps to follow-up the global initiatives dealing with MPAs
Need for national capacity building to address MPAs
Annex II:
IUCN has defined a series of six protected area management categories, based on primary management
objective. A summary of categories and their definitions is provided below. Definitions of these
categories, and examples of each, are provided in Guidelines for Protected Area Management
Categories (IUCN, 1994).
Categories and definitions on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (IUCN)
CATEGORY Ia:
Strict Nature Reserve: protected area managed mainly for science
Definition
Area of land and/or sea possessing some outstanding or representative ecosystems,
geological or physiological features and/or species, available primarily for scientific
research and/or environmental monitoring.
CATEGORY Ib
Wilderness Area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection
Definition
Large area of unmodified or slightly modified land, and/or sea, retaining its natural
character and influence, without permanent or significant habitation, which is
protected and managed so as to preserve its natural condition.
CATEGORY II
National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and
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recreation
Definition
Natural area of land and/or sea, designated to (a) protect the ecological integrity of
one or more ecosystems for present and future generations, (b) exclude exploitation
or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area and (c) provide a
foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities,
all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible.
CATEGORY III
Natural Monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific
natural features
Definition
Area containing one, or more, specific natural or natural/cultural feature which is of
outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative or aesthetic
qualities or cultural significance.
CATEGORY IV
Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for
conservation through management intervention
Definition
Area of land and/or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as
to ensure the maintenance of habitats and/or to meet the requirements of specific
species.
CATEGORY V
Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area
landscape/seascape conservation and recreation
Definition
Area of land, with coast and sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and
nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic,
ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding
the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance and
evolution of such an area.
CATEGORY VI
Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed mainly for the
sustainable use of natural ecosystems
Definition
Area containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long
term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while providing at the same
time a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs.
managed
mainly
for