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Marine Turtle Newsletter 86:15, © 1999

Marine Turtle Newsletter-Online

Third Meeting of the Malaysia-Philippines Joint Management Committee for the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area

From 12 to 13 July 1999 delegations from Malaysia and Philippines met at the Karamunsing Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. At the Third Meeting of the Joint Management Committee (JMC) for the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA), the delegations followed up on the bilateral Memorandum of Agreement signed on 31 May 1996 by the Governments of Malaysia and Philippines, an historic accord which established the world's first ever trans-boundary marine turtle conservation area in one of the world's richest areas of marine biodiversity.

The meeting began with opening remarks by Datuk Lamri Ali, Director of Sabah Parks, Chairman of Malaysian Delegation and Ms. Corazon Belmonte, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia, Chairperson of the Philippine Delegation. This set the scene for the two days of friendly and productive negotiations. After a brief update on the satellite telemetry and web page being used to emphasize the migratory nature of sea turtles and the fact that the future of these endangered animals depends on international cooperation, there was a ceremonial tagging of turtles by the two Chairpersons.

The meeting discussed, amended and adopted Rules of Procedure, which had been presented and deliberated previously in the second JMC. Both delegations presented updates on significant developments of turtle conservation programmes in the TIHPA. After a presentation on the results of the Second Technical Working Group, held in Sandakan, Malaysia 12 to 14 October 1998 (MTN 86:13), the delegates deliberated and approved a Joint Management Programme for TIHPA for the period 2000-2005. This prioritized listing of management tasks for both countries, highlighting responsibilities to be shared by both Parties, with the main areas of management in: surveillance and enforcement; research and monitoring; education and awareness; capacity building; shared data base and collaboration and networking.

As in the First and Second JMC, the atmosphere of the meeting was marked by a deep dedication to establish and strengthen mechanisms for conserving one of the most important marine turtle rookeries in Asia, as well as by true friendship and respect between the Parties. The lesson for the world community is that despite economic constraints, dedicated governments and their representatives, in coordination with other interest groups, can make significant advances for the conservation of shared natural resources.

The Fourth JMC will be organized in Philippines in mid 2000.

Further information on the Joint Management Committee and the TIHPA can be obtained from <http:/www.oneocean.org/ambassadors/> as well as from:

Director Sabah Parks, P. O. Box 10626, Post Code 88806, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, MALAYSIA (Fax ++ 60 88 221 001)

Director Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau,Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, 1101 PHILIPPINES (Fax ++ 632 924 0109: E-mail: pawb-plan@psdn.org.ph)