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SPC Focusses on 7 PICs to Strengthen Maritime Boundaries in the Region

Thursday, 14 September 2017 10:14 Zarin Khan
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SPC focuses on 7 PICs to strengthen Maritime Boundaries

21 Aug 2017 | Suva

The Pacific Community (SPC) aims to focus on 7 Pacific Island Countries (PICs), who have yet to negotiate their portions of the maritime boundaries, over the next five years.

Currently, SPC provides technical advice and support to 14 PICs that enable them to formalise their maritime boundaries through treaties. This contributes towards securing ocean resources for PICs and ensures their peaceful coexistence.

The technical work provided by SPC includes the delineation of territorial seas (12M), contiguous zone (24M) and Exclusive Economic Zone (200M) limit using accurately defined territorial sea baselines based on hydrographic charts, topographical maps, satellite images, and geodetic surveys.

SPC’s Deputy Director General for the Suva Office, Dr Audrey Aumua said that SPC and our partners will continue to support the maritime boundary aspirations of PICs.

“What this entails is PICs declaring territorial sea baselines and the outer limits of maritime zones in national legislations and then depositing this information with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”.

These boundaries and treaties are also necessary for monitoring, control and surveillance of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the region. The process of delimiting maritime zones and boundaries empowers PICs to control activities for management of marine resources contributing to improving global and regional ocean governance.

SPC is leading a successful international collaborative effort to fulfil one of the region’s key strategic priorities embedded in the Pacific Ocean scape Framework. The recruitment of the new Maritime Boundaries Adviser, Mr Malakai Vakautawale, is an example of how SPC is prioritising the maritime boundary activities in the region.

Mr Vakautawale will work with the SPC’s Maritime Boundaries Team and its regional partners and the 14 PICs.

SPC’s partners include Geoscience Australia, Australian Attorney General’s Department, the Commonwealth Secretariat, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and United Nations Environmental Program GRID Arendal.

This partnership is an effective mechanism to address maritime boundary issues and to safeguard the sovereign rights of PICs.

 

Media Contact:

Molly Powers, Acting Coordinator Ocean and Tides Knowledge Unit |  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 September 2017 10:38  

Newsflash

Disaster Reduction Programme's EU B-Envelope project is working closely with the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources (MLSNR) to drill six boreholes on Tongatapu. A contract was signed with NEEDS Engineering Ltd for approximately TOP120,000.

Work has just been completed in drilling the first borehole near the international airport that was at a depth of 55 meters with other sites to follow. The borehole at Fu’amotu will be drilled to a depth of 65 meters while the three boreholes at Mata’kieua wellfield will be at a dept of 24 – 35 meters.

The boreholes will be used by MLSNR to monitor water quality. This is very important as the water piped through the reticulated supply to households in Nukua’lofa and in most villages on Tongatapu is sourced from the underground water lens. The data collected through monitoring the water quality including salinity is essential for good management of the water supply.

The MLSNR visit all boreholes on a regular basis to collect samples for testing in their laboratory. The project has also completed upgrading the infrastructure at the Mataki’eua wellfield with construction of new wellsheds, supply of electric submersible pumps and supply of rainwater catchments to the outer islands.