28 October 2011: The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs Fisheries and Food Security opened this week, with environment and fisheries ministers from six Asia-Pacific countries meeting to advance their collective agenda for protecting and managing the fragile Coral Triangle.

The Coral Triangle is known as the “Amazon of the Seas” for being one of the world’s most diverse and threatened marine ecosystems. It encompasses ocean areas in six countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

During the Ministerial Meeting, ADB launched three new products: “The Coral Triangle,” a book documenting an 18-month photographers’ expedition, which highlights the marine and coastal resources of the region; action plans for the Sulu-Suawesi Marine Ecoregion, which is one of the priority areas of the Coral Triangle Initiative; and the Coral Triangle Initiative Learning Resource Network, which is an online portal, or knowledge hub, for learning and information exchange among stakeholders.

The Meeting is expected to endorse a plan to establish a permanent secretariat for the Initiative in Indonesia. [ADB Press Release] [CTI Learning Resource Network]