Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste have come together to take an important step towards protecting the marine and coastal resources of the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS). They have signed and adopted a new 10-year Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for 2024-2033, marking a significant milestone in regional cooperation.

This collaborative effort aims to tackle major environmental issues in the region, aligning with national priorities and international commitments. The SAP was developed in 2023 and endorsed at the ATSEA-2 5th Regional Steering Committee Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. Key ministers, including Hon. Tanya Plibersek of Australia, Hon. Sakti Wahyu Trenggono of Indonesia, Hon. Jelta Wong of Papua New Guinea, and Hon. Marcos da Cruz of Timor-Leste, signed the SAP in the second quarter of 2024.

The vision of the ATS SAP is to create a healthy, resilient, and productive Arafura and Timor Seas that support human well-being and nature. The mission is to foster social, ecological, and economic progress through a blue-economy-oriented regional partnership in the ATS region. The four countries have all agreed to this vision and mission, setting a unified direction for long-term sustainability and collaborative efforts.

For the next ten years, they have committed to address four key issues through this updated SAP:

1. Reducing Marine Plastic Pollution: This includes tackling Abandoned, Lost, and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG).
2. Preventing and Responding to Oil Spills: Strengthening regional coordination and capacities.
3. Combating Illegal Fishing: Reducing incidence of small-scale illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in transboundary areas.
4. Conserving Endangered Species: Protecting regional populations of Endangered, Threatened, and Protected (ETP) species and their habitats.

Key Targets

This updated SAP sets specific and measurable targets to address these four main areas. By focusing on concrete actions and outcomes, the program aims to make significant progress in improving the health and sustainability of the ATS region. Here are some of the key targets:

• Marine Plastic Pollution: Implement new policies, develop a Circular Economy Guideline, adopt a Regional Action Plan for ALDFG, engage at least 9 coastal communities, and create at least 3 new circular economy pilot programs to reduce plastic waste by 1000-5000 tonnes.
• Oil Spill Response: Establish a regional coordination mechanism and framework agreement for oil spill preparedness and response in the ATS, and build capacity on regional oil spill preparedness and response.
• IUU Fishing: Develop at least 3 transboundary agreements, achieve 25-50% reductions in illegal fishing at three identified IUUF hotspot sites, and benefit at least 5000 fisheries livelihood beneficiaries through improved management and alternative livelihoods.
• ETP Species Conservation: Implement action plans for endangered species, establish 70,000 km² of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and 10,000 km² of Other Effective (area-based) Conservation Measures (OECMs), and integrate traditional ecological knowledge into management systems.

Governance and Implementation

To ensure the effective implementation of the SAP, a Regional Governance Mechanism (RGM) has been established. This includes:

• A Regional Component with a Council of Ministers, Regional Coordination Committee, Regional Secretariat, and Regional Stakeholder Working Group
• A National Component with a National Coordination Committee, National Secretariat, and National Stakeholder Working Group
• A mechanism for engaging Strategic Development Partners

Looking Ahead

The SAP and RGM will be formally adopted and launched at the ATS Ministerial Forum in Dili, Timor-Leste, on September 19-20, 2024. This event will mark the transition to long-term ATSEA Program implementation, building on the achievements of the ATSEA-2 Project, which concludes in December 2024.

With this new plan, the countries are committed to a decade of collaborative efforts to protect and sustain the vital marine and coastal ecosystems of the Arafura and Timor Seas, ensuring a healthier environment for future generations.

By Ingrid Narcise and Yulia Dewi