Coastal fisheries are a forgotten sector, often perceived as small, lacking data and undervalued; yet, critical to food security, livelihood of millions, national economies, and an integral part to marine biodiversity in the East Asia.

To address this wicked problem, speakers from various stakeholders in the coastal fisheries reform from Indonesia and the Philippines highlighted the importance of an integrated and holistic approach. Speakers shared solutions and innovations addressing issues on lack of data, securing preference for small-scale fishers, financing and at provincial or regional scales, and replicating, sustaining and scaling community-focused management interventions.

Challenges confronting the oceans and coastal ecosystems are compounding in time. Modest gains in addressing anthropogenic threats through protection measures and informed policies are negated by the vagaries of climate and emerging and worrisome patterns of utilization such as reclamation and land development. By reflecting the value of ecosystems into monetary units, stakeholders are propelled to make better decisions on resource allocation between competing uses, improving incentives and generating expenditures. While the context focuses on coral reef management, it is critical to see how it contributes to the broader coastal management perspective.

Why talk about financing? Significant funding is required to address threats posed by illegal fishing, reclamation, pollution, harvesting of corals and associated species, unbridled land development, etc. Third, due to the severe rate of destruction, coral restoration procedures will cost more, in fact, more than what it would cost to prevent the destruction. Relevant discussions on financing are not focused solely on raising revenues or ensuring more funding. Cost avoidance and delivering better are also finance solutions benefitting coral reef management. Likewise, realignment of expenditures from harmful actions to positive actions are also highlighted as finance solutions.

The mini symposium organized by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) is intended to inform participants of the methodology, which includes three assessments that culminate in a Biodiversity Finance Plan. The steps include:

1. The Biodiversity Finance Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) looks into the policy and institutional context for biodiversity finance in the country and establishes which are the key stakeholders to involve.
    
2. The Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) is an analysis of public and private expenditures in the country that benefit biodiversity. The assessment establishes past, present and projected expenditures on biodiversity.
    
3. The Financial Needs Assessment (FNA) estimates the finance required to deliver national biodiversity targets and plans, usually described in the NBSAPs.
    
4. The Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) identify and prioritizes a mix of suitable biodiversity finance solutions to reduce the biodiversity finance gap.
    

Blue Carbon is gaining currency in recent years as one of the solutions for mitigating climate change. The carbon storing potential of blue carbon should be assessed in a scientifically sound way in order to receive the recognition from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. In order to achieve the goal, a network of researchers should be formed to collate concerted efforts in demonstrating the potential. The research efforts of blue carbon will significantly enhance the awareness and conservation efforts of global community on key marine ecosystems such as tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests.

Blue carbon can play a significant role in the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the UNFCCC process. Therefore, national policy and research efforts should be enhanced in advancing the blue carbon concepts in EAS region.

The session highlighted the initiatives of the SMARTSeas PH Project in crafting the national marine protected area (MPA) network policy framework, and the development of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and feedback (MERF) framework for MPA network (MPAN).

The discussion focused on improving the coordinating mechanisms and complementary activities of various institutions working on marine biodiversity conservation in its pilot sites. It also highlighted the importance of shared governance and collaborative management by different stakeholders in conserving biodiversity through establishing MPA network and coming up with decision support tools, which are scientifically grounded.

During the session, the Competence Assessment Tool was also launched. The tool is part of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for MPA network to measure effectiveness of the networks in addressing threats, improving conditions of reef and fish communities, and monitoring gains and benefits to people.

Overall, the session was held to provide a venue for management organizations, scientific community, and the general public to share initiatives, innovative research, and ideas to progress current initiatives to a holistic and interoperable system.

Strong collaboration between government and business will be critical for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 14 Life below water. Along with safeguarding the health of coastal ecosystems and communities, achieving the SDGs may open pathways for new opportunities for companies while supporting the health of coastal ecosystems and communities. The potential of effective public-private partnership for coastal and ocean management has been discussed for some time, but the reality of forging concrete, value-added partnerships has, in many cases, remained elusive. Companies can struggle to move beyond mere compliance or approaches that are disconnected from their core business, while public institutions and local governments may wonder how to best engage with the private sector in ways that achieve sustainable development goals while adding value that incentivizes companies to partner.

Organizations like PEMSEA, World Ocean Council, Philippine Business for Environment and IUCN can play a bridging role, supporting the achievement of sustainable development objectives while helping companies to address their challenges related to coasts and oceans.

This session examined the role of business and its needs and expectations for collaborative coastal and ocean management, along with the role of development partners in helping companies to identify and develop practical opportunities supporting the SDGs, blue economy development and local communities. Building on insights from research for a Sustainable Business Roadmap for oceans for the region, participants explored approaches to private sector partnership for blue economy development.

The Ocean Conservancy reports that five of the eight largest contributors of plastic waste to the oceans are countries in the East Asian region. In light of this concern, varied efforts and innovations are emerging that can help address the problem at various levels.

In particular, with the local coastal communities contributing to and experiencing the immediate adverse impacts of plastic waste, this session will look into potential options/approaches, new initiatives and innovative solutions that can help enhance local actions in combating the rising problem of plastic pollution and moving towards circular economy.

Marine Debris or Marine Litter is one of the top priorities in the current global agenda. The issue has been included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Goal 14 Life Below Water, UNGA as well as UNEA agenda and many other global initiatives. Marine Litter is believed to cause damages to marine life to the extent that some species may go extinct in few decades. Marine litter issue is particularly significant in the East Asian Seas region since the economy of the region is growing fast as the global growth hub. In this, ASEAN countries determined to address this global issue in concerted efforts. As the result, the 1st ASEAN Conference on Reducing Marine Debris in ASEAN Region was organized on 22-23 November 2017 in Phuket, Thailand and various action plans have formulated in the countries of the region.

As oceans are interconnected, marine debris issue should be addressed in a concerted effort around the globe. RO Korea is a leading country in addressing marine litter issue and wish to contribute in mitigating the impact of marine debris. Through this workshop, countries strategies on marine debris will be presented and possible establishment of a network of marine litter research and monitoring in the region will be discussed. Enhancing public awareness and education relating to marine litter around the EAS region will be also discussed.

The East Asian Seas region recognizes the role of youth engagement to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global ocean agenda. Themed “Moving as One with the Global Ocean Agenda: Active and Engaged Youth”, the Fifth EAS Youth Forum featured peer-to-peer learning discussions, team-building and creative sessions to empower the next generation of young champions for the oceans and coasts. The Youth Forum intended to enhance youth’s understanding on the environment’s current situation and appreciation of the role they can play in sustainable development and the global ocean agenda. The forum gathered 70 youth from EAS countries, namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam to learn and interact with a roster of high-profile speakers and leaders in ocean and coastal management.

Specifically, the YF5 aimed to:

1. Launch the PEMSEA Youth Programme and the PEMSEA Network of Young Leaders (PNYL);
2. Provide a conducive platform for mutual exchange of knowledge, experience and skills in sustainable ocean and coastal management;
3. Strengthen the youth’s capacity to develop and/or lead initiatives at the local, national, or regional level;
4. Sustain and expand the network of young people empowered to take actions in protecting the region’s oceans and coasts through the PNYL and its country hubs;
5. Produce a clear youth commitment to achieving sustainable ocean management through the youth declaration; and
6. Promote the youth’s crucial role in achieving the UN SDGs, particularly those contributing to the global ocean agenda.
    

This session focused on interdisciplinary research, which increases understanding of the economic, social, and ecological systems, and how it should, and can be used to support marine planning, management, and future sustainable development and blue economy.

The session aimed to:

• Present different approaches to undertaking blue economy-relevant interdisciplinary research;
• Describe innovative decision support tools that are being developed from this research; and
• Discuss examples of how and where these approaches and tools are, or could be used across the multiple and interacting blue economy sectors (e.g., renewable energy, fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, recreation and leisure) to promote sustainability of ecosystem services that underpin these sectors, and are impacted by them.