Manoa, Pio E.; Tomtavala, Yoli --- "An Assessment of Marine Environmental Compliance and Enforcement in the Pacific Islands Region" [2011] ELECD 325; in Paddock, Lee; Qun, Du; Kotzé, J. Louis; Markell, L. David; Markowitz, J. Kenneth; Zaelke, Durwood (eds), "Compliance and Enforcement in Environmental Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Compliance and Enforcement in Environmental Law

Editor(s): Paddock, Lee; Qun, Du; Kotzé, J. Louis; Markell, L. David; Markowitz, J. Kenneth; Zaelke, Durwood

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781848448315

Section: Chapter 21

Section Title: An Assessment of Marine Environmental Compliance and Enforcement in the Pacific Islands Region

Author(s): Manoa, Pio E.; Tomtavala, Yoli

Number of pages: 16

Extract:

21. An Assessment of Marine
Environmental Compliance and
Enforcement in the Pacific Islands
Region
Pio E. Manoa* and Yoli Tomtavala**

1. INTRODUCTION

With vast ocean spaces under their jurisdictions, Pacific Island States have a duty
to manage and conserve natural resources sustainably, and to protect and preserve
the marine environment. But meagre human and financial resources are major
impediments to environmental protection. Pacific Island States have long realised
the importance and benefits that arise from regional cooperation. The
contribution of regional cooperation to marine environmental protection is
especially pronounced in fisheries conservation and management. Since 1979,
Pacific Island States have been working to enhance fisheries compliance and
enforcement. The long and successful experience that Pacific Island States have
had in regional fisheries cooperation is a good model to employ in the wider
mandate for protection and preservation of the marine environment.
Each Pacific Island State at the local and national level faces the sustainable
development task of balancing development activities and aspirations with the
maintenance of ecosystem integrity. Since larger nations have benefited the most
from the exploitation of marine resources from the region, the argument made by
Pacific States is that they must be given opportunity to realise their development
aspirations. Each country has some potential for development but financial,
technical, and logistical constraints present particular impediments for smaller,
low lying islands such as Kiribati, Tuvalu, Niue and Nauru.
Ensuring compliance with and effective enforcement of marine environmental
laws and policies depends upon the ability of governments to monitor ...