Started in 2019, ATSEA-2 is the second phase of the Arafura & Timor Seas Ecosystem Action (ATSEA) Programme; a regional partnership involving the Governments of Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea, with the support of the Australian Government. This group works to devise and implement solutions to the most important transboundary marine issues facing the region.
Our primary aim is to conserve the biodiversity of the Arafura and Timor seas for the overall health of the ocean and the livelihoods of the communities who depend on it for survival. We also work to ensure the networks supporting these resources and revenues are operated efficiently, fairly and sustainably.
Our objective: to ensure the sustainable management and usage of living coastal and marine resources
Our goal: to sustain the flow of ecosystem goods and services from the Arafura and Timor Seas
From conserving natural ecosystems to empowering local fisheries and securing regional supply chains, the ATSEA-2 Programme sets out to ensure that coastal and marine resources are protected.
We are working in three countries in the ATS region: Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea. In Indonesia, our sites are located in Aru District, Maluku Province; Merauke District, Papua Province; and Rote Ndao District, East Nusa Tenggara Province. In Timor-Leste, our sites can be found mainly on the south coast, in the Suai, Manufahi, Manatuto, Viqueque and Lautem Municipios, respectively. Lastly, in Papua New Guinea, ATSEA-2 is operating in the South Fly District of the Western Province.
Drawing together a diverse range of skilled experts, NGOs, government departments, funding organisations and community representatives, the ATSEA-2 Programme uses an intergovernmental approach to create a trans-boundary strategy that is rooted in national development priorities. This is achieved through a regional Strategic Action Programme (SAP).
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing is an issue that affects sustainable fisheries around the world, including in the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) region. In many cases the constraints on patrolling and reporting of illegal or unregulated fishing vessels has its limitations, due to the nature of the open sea and technological limitations. However, there
There have been several cases of marine pollution in the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) Province in Indonesia in the past which has highlighted the need to mitigate and prevent these events in the future. One of those ways is to create a fast response team and a coordination mechanism in order to equip the NTT
The GEF/UNDP/PEMSEA ATSEA-2 Project held its second Regional Steering Committee (RSC) meeting on 25 November 2020 to review the project’s progress in the past year and to discuss activities to be implemented for the next year and beyond. Hosted by the Government of Timor-Leste through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), the meeting was
During the first week of November 2020, the ATSEA program held a four-day public consultative webinar series where various experts in the field of marine and coastal sciences presented preliminary assessments and research results that would contribute to the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) of the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) region. Four thematic discussions were
