Marae MoanaCook Islands Marine Park

Jacqueline EvansMarae Moana Director

Cook Islands Office of the Prime Minister

Background

In 2012, at the Pacific Island Leaders Forum in Cook Islands, Prime Minister Henry Punadeclared his government’s intention to establish a multiple-use marine park, now known as Marae Moana

- Pacific Oceanscape

- Resilience

Land area 240 square kilometresOcean area 1.9 million square kilometres

Large Ocean State

Background

• Five years of consultation • 34 Public meetings

• 5 Stakeholder workshops

• 32 Committee and Task Force meetings

• Marae Moana Policy

(approved May 2016)

• Marae Moana Act 2017

(passed July 2017)

• Scope includes activities on land that affect the marine environment

Marae Moana Policy Objectives

1. Enhance Conservation and Ecological Sustainability

2. Sustainably develop the Cook Islands Marine Resources

3. Marine Tourism Development

4. Maritime Transport & Safety

5. Maritime and Marine Cultural Heritage

Marae Moana Strategic Objectives

1. Integrated Planning & Adaptive Management

2. Marine Spatial Planning

3. Transparent Management Processes

4. Socially Responsible Marine & Maritime Development

5. Partnerships

6. Education, Communication, Consultation and Commitment

7. Research and Monitoring

8. Sustainable Financing

Marae Moana Act 2017 Purpose

(1) The primary purpose is to protect and conserve the ecological, biodiversity, and heritage values of the Cook Islands marine environment.

(2) Other purposesa) integrated decision-making and management

framework

b) allow other uses (consistently with primary purpose), including economic, public enjoyment, education, recreational, cultural, research;

c) encourage engagement of stakeholders;

d) assist in meeting the Cook Islands’ international responsibilities (CBD, UNCLOS etc)”

Part 6 Reporting

• Section 32 Marae Moana agency reports

• Section 33 Marae Moana annual report – submitted to Parliament

• Section 34 Marae Moana outlook report – submitted to Parliament every six years

Marae Moana Outlook Report

• the current health of ecosystems within the marae moana and of ecosystems outside the marae moana to the extent that they affect the marae moana

• the status of biodiversity within the marae moana

• commercial and non-commercial use of the marae moana

• risks to the ecosystems within the marae moana

• the resilience of ecosystems

• existing measures in place to protect and manage ecosystems

• factors influencing the current and projected future environmental, economic, and social values of the marae moana; and

• the long term outlook for ecosystems within the marae moana

Meitaki Atupaka