Investigating Shipping Pollution Violations Module 19 Regional Assistance and Cooperation

Pacific Ocean Pollution Prevention Programme (PACPOL) Strategy “…to provide overall leadership and technical assistance to improve the prevention and response to ship sourced marine pollution in the pacific Islands region”

PACPOL REVISION Why and when? SPREP reviewed the PACPOL strategy for PICTs. Stakeholder consultations, interviews, telephone enquiries and detailed questionnaire on the effectiveness of the existing current strategy. Revised PACPOL strategy final draft Q1/2010.

PACPOL Strategy The mission statement of the PACPOL Strategy is “to protect public health, safety, environment and natural resources of the Pacific Islands from the effects of ship sourced marine pollution.” In order to achieve this mission for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories the vision of PACPOL is “that the people of the Pacific Islands are better able to prevent, minimise and mitigate ship sourced marine pollution.”

PACPOL: What has been done? Marine environment protection by minimising ship related marine pollution Put in place legislative and institutional structures and processes Put in place operational procedures and build capacity at national and regional levels to respond to marine pollution incidents Target Sectors - Oil, Shipping, Fishing, Port Management 4 Focal areas

Who is involved with PACPOL Principal Donors – IMO, Australia, NZ Recipient countries - Cooks,FSM,Fiji, Kiribati,Marshalls,Nauru,Niue,Palau,PNG, Samoa,Solomons,Tonga,Tuvalu,Vanuatu Recipient territories - A.Samoa,Tahiti, Guam,NewCaledonia,Marianas, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna SPREP Partners - Australia,France,NZ,USA Partner Agencies – SPC, FFA,SOPAC,USP

Summary of PACPOL Activities *

Planned Funding Activities- IMO ActivityPlanned Year Total Fund Comments SPILLCON 2010 Participation and Bunker Convention Seminar 2010US$50,250Completed Regional Oil Spill Training Courses (Level 2&3) Exercises 2010US$62,250Planned for Nov/Dec 2010 in PNG. Regional Seminar for Decision- Makers on the ratification and implementation of the OPRC-HNS Convention 2011US$62,250Planned for April 2010 in Samoa Regional Training Course on the Legal Implementation of the BWM Convention with an emphasis on Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement of the Convention and Regional Cooperation in the Pacific. 2011US$75,250Planned for July 2011 in Fiji

Planned Activities-ROCT ActivityPlanned Year Total FundComments National Oil Spill Training for Palau, RMI, Tuvalu 2010US$10,000Planned for Nov 2010 Feb2011 Marine Pollution Investigation and Enforcement Training for RMI, Palau, Tuvalu 2011US$24,000Planned for 2011 National Oil Spill Training for Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands 2011US$20,000Planned for 2011

PACPOL Strategy Work Programme and Budget

PACPOL Strategy Shipping Risk Study Update –The project outputs will be a revised version of the shipping risk study already undertaken. Oil Inputs from Small Crafts –An indication of the amount of oil being discarded by small pleasure craft and fishing fleets. –To assess the contribution of oil entering the marine environment from 2-stroke outboard motors. –With this information an in-depth educational campaign to be created targeting the above mentioned marine users.

PACPOL Strategy Oil Inputs from WWII Wrecks –The use of stochastic spill trajectory modeling from known WWII shipwrecks combined with the coastal resource map will determine the high risk vessels and the possible natural and environmental resources at risk. –Site specific spill response plans would be developed in conjunction with PICTs using skilled response planners and assessing local response capacity.

PACPOL Strategy Marine Litter –Every PICT to undertake a marine litter assessment identifying the type of litter and the possible sources of this litter. –Port reception facilities for handling ship generated waste and old/damaged fishing nets should be improved. A reduction of the disposal of fishing gear at sea and in coastal areas should be promoted.

PACPOL Strategy Marine Noise –The creation of a noise fact sheet to be disseminated around the PICTs and downloadable from the PACPOL website. Effect of Cruise Liners –A study on the risk and potential environmental impacts of cruise liners on the PICTs. This will not only include the risk of the vessel itself but also the associated risk of large amounts of wastes generated at sea and on land.

PACPOL Strategy Dredged Mtls, Bulky Items & Asbestos Disposal Guidelines –Create guidelines for the appropriate disposal at sea of dredging wastes based on International Best Practice and international guidelines Marine Pollution Legislation Review

PACPOL Strategy Spill Trajectory Modelling –A fully functioning marine spill trajectory model for high risk port areas and busy shipping lanes, linked with the coastal resource map. Coastal Resource Mapping –For each Pacific island country, a coastal resource map, both in hard copy and GIS, showing the spatial and temporal distribution of all biological, cultural heritage, recreational, commercial and industrial resources and infrastructure, environmental sensitivity grading, protection priorities, chemical dispersant use/non-use zones and spill response equipment and priorities.

PACPOL Strategy Invasive Species Surveys Derelict and Abandoned vessels –Conduct a regional assessment of the scale of derelict and abandoned vessels in the region and provide guidance materials for PICTs for the effective investigation and management of these vessels and the threat of pollution from contaminants.

PACPOL Strategy Enforcement Training –Already implementing Exercises and Training –Already implementing PACPLAN & NATPLAN Update Places of Refuge

PACPOL Strategy Regional Spill Response Team –Similar to MNZ Proposal –To establish a Pacific Islands Regional Spill Response Team amongst the PICTs with identified supervisory, operational, response equipment skills, environmental and scientific expertise that can be deployed quickly to the site of an incident to support local governments and agencies.