26 November 2010: The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Progamme (SPREP) has announced the release of the Pacific Marine Outlook 2010, which synthesizes current information regarding the state of, and responses to, a variety of threats for the Pacific Islands region.

The report was prepared by SPREP for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Seas Programme and UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). It identifies major marine environmental issues affecting the Pacific Islands region, namely: potential (and perceived) impacts from environmental change, including climate variability and climate change; habitat loss and the effects of coastal modification; the introduction of invasive species; fishing pressure, including destructive practices; increased sedimentation and nutrient loading from land-use practices, including coastal mining; solid waste and liquid effluents; and other sources of land and marine pollution.

Among the responses, the report identifies: the UN Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks; the the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA); the National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) for climate change; the establishment of marine protected areas; and ballast water regulations.

The report concludes that poor monitoring in the region results from little data available for most of the Pacific Islands region, and lack of human, technical, institutional and financial capacity. It underscores the need to build capacity and provide appropriate resources and funding for data collection, management and analysis for environmental monitoring of the marine environment in the Pacific Islands region. [SPREP Press Release] [The Report]