Western Indian Ocean Coastal Challenge (WIOCC)

Government of Seychelles

#SDGAction40081

Description

The WIOCC is a country led partnership that promotes actions for climate resilient development that achieves effective conservation of biodiversity, enhanced livelihood and economies for greater social security among coastal communities. The WIOCC mobilises the political, financial and technical commitment at national and regional levels by inspiring leadership and facilitating collaboration towards a shared, long-term vision.

Implementation of the Project/Activity

This partnership will be achieved through:- Formulate stronger political commitment- Engage more effectively and obtain ownership by the stakeholders- Set up sustainable financing mechanisms to sustain action over time- Provide technical and policy support- Strengthen collaboration and broader experience sharing- Make use of science based decision support and adequate knowledge management systems to guarantee proper information sharing- Promote integrated management and ecosystem based approaches- Address information needs and gaps through focused research- Develop communication and social marketing activities and tools and- Improve the overall capacity at multiple levels.

Governed

The Western Indian Ocean Coastal Challenge will be led by the Republic of Seychelles. The WIOCC will be a strong and vocal partnership of WIO island and coastal countries and stakeholders, working together to build and implement climate-resilient development options and strategies to achieve a balance between enhanced coastal livelihoods and economies and effective conservation of biodiversity. It consists of a partnership of the WIOCC country focal points, representatives from each of the member countries of the WIO countries including Comoros, France-Reunion, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Each country who formally joins the WIOCC will announce specific targeted national commitments that will contribute to achieving the vision of the WIOCC. The WIOCC countries are supported the WIOCC technical support team, the Consortium of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO-C). The WIO-C is a group of NGOs in partnership with Inter-governmental organisations that support synergy in programmes of work on marine and coastal ecosystem management and promote knowledge sharing.

Partners

Comoros, France-Réunion, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zanzibar; European Union; Indian Ocean Commission (IOC); UNEP Nairobi Convention Secretariat; Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity; Global Island Partnership (GLISPA); Western Indian Ocean Consortium (WIO-C) including the WCS, IUCN, WWF, WIOMSA, CORDIO, IOC-Indian Ocean Commission, NEPAD and the IOC UNESC

SDGS & Targets

Goal 14

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

14.1

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

14.1.1

(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

14.2

By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

14.2.1

Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

14.3

Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

14.3.1

Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

14.4

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

14.4.1

Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

14.5

By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

14.5.1

Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

14.6

By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

14.6.1

Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

14.7

By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

14.7.1

Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

14.a

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

14.a.1

Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

14.b

Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

14.b.1

Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

14.c

Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

14.c.1

Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

SDG 14 targets covered

Deliverables & Timeline

N/A

Resources mobilized

Financing (in USD)

Received by the EU and supported by the IOC ISLANDS project to support mobilization of WIO country level engagement.

Staff / Technical expertise

Provided by the WIO-C to support synergy in programmes of work on marine and coastal ecosystem management and promote knowledge sharing.

Other, please specify

GLISPA will promote the WIO-CC.

Partnership Progress

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