Securing the Oceans: Essays on Ocean Governance

Quezon City, Philippines — Published a decade after the 1998 Year of the Ocean, the 25-chapter Securing the Oceans: Essays on Ocean Governance is primarily aimed at increasing the awareness of the general public on coasts and oceans and at strengthening their understanding of the functioning of the ocean, land-sea interactions, ocean dynamics and ecosystem functioning. The book is published jointly by PEMSEA and the Nippon Foundation and is edited by Chua Thia-Eng, Gunnar Kullenberg and Danilo Bonga.The volume contains essays written by 25 authors in their different capacities as scientists, economists, lawyers, teachers, managers, users of marine resources, national and international civil servants, and administrators. Parts I, II and III of the book bring out the global perspective on ocean governance. Various case studies put forward the interconnectivity between regional seas in terms of political, socioeconomic, cultural, and especially ecological linkages. Part IV underscores the paradigm shift in the traditional concept of ocean governance to a more proactive and dynamic approach in securing the ocean for peaceful use. This chapter includes the conclusions forwarded by the participants in a regional workshop on "Securing the Oceans" at the 2006 East Asian Seas Congress. The conclusions and recommendations from the EAS Congress 2006 are published in two issues of the Tropical Coasts.The publication of this book is made possible through a grant from the Nippon Foundation in support of the Research Task Force on the Dynamics of Regional Cooperation on Oceans and Coasts. It is hoped that this book will further stimulate and strengthen the pursuit of sustainable ocean development so as to secure the ocean and its resources for our future generations.The book was launched in Manila during the Partnership Night held at the PEMSEA Office Building on 14 March. The book will also be launched in Hanoi, Vietnam, during the 4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands: Advancing Ecosystem Management and Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management by 2010 in the context of Climate Change on 7-11 April.