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July 2008

As of October 2008, immediate actions have 

been implemented as follows:  

 Priority action 1: 

Seek high government support from 

Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines 

for the adoption of the Conservation 

Plan for SSME

High-level adoption of the conservation 

plan for SSME was achieved through 

a ministerial signing of a Tri-national 

Memorandum of Understanding between 

the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, 

and the Philippines.  

The Sulu-Sulawesi ecoregion-level action 

plan provides for the use of the framework 

for NMPA “…as guide in designing MPA 

networks in the SSME and establishing and 

managing functional integrated network 

of  priority conservation areas to ensure 

ecological integrity…” (Stakeholders of the 

SSME, et al., 2004). The adoption of the ECP, 

in eff ect, adopted the framework.

Priority action 2:

Communicate the framework in various 

forums to seek support and resources 

for the use of NMPA in conservation and 

sustainable development

The framework was presented, discussed, 

communicated, or distributed at the 

following international events, among 

others:

•    World Parks Congress, Durban, 

South Africa, September 2003 – oral 

presentation  (Romero, et al., 2003)

•    1st East Asian Seas Congress, Putrajaya, 

Malaysia, December 2003 – oral 

presentation and journal publication 

(Miclat, et al., 2006)

•    7th Conference of Parties for the 

Convention on Biological Diversity, 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 

2004 – published copies exhibited and 

distributed at the WWF Exhibit Booth

•    10th International Coral Reef 

Symposium, Okinawa, Japan, July 

2004 – oral presentation (Llewellyn, et 

al., 2004)

•     International MPA Congress, Geelong, 

Australia, November 2005 – abstract 

submitted; copies shared (Miclat, et al., 

2005)

•    Workshop on Learning Partnership for 

MPA Networks, Tagaytay, Philippines, 

May 2008 – presented by CI-Philippines 

(Miclat, 2008)

Priority action 3:

Publish the framework, disseminate, 

solicit feedback from MPA experts, and 

pilot-test to provide basis for refi nement

The framework was published in 2004 

and disseminated for the fi rst time at the 

Convention on Biological Diversity - 7th 

Conference of Parties in February 2004. 

In 2008, Conservation International (CI) 

pioneered the use of the Framework 

through the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape 

Project.

Pilot-testing the Framework 

The  Walton-funded SSS Project is being 

implemented in Indonesia, Malaysia and 

Philippines through 32 partners engaged 

during the project’s fi rst phase (2005-2008). 

The partnership with the Marine Research 

Foundation (MRF), based in Sabah, made 

possible the review of existing information 

about sea turtles in Sulu-Sulawesi, the 

compilation of known critical areas for sea 

turtles, and the drafting of a design for a 

transboundary MPA network for sea turtles. 

The reviews provided the fi rst opportunity 

to use the SSME Framework for NMPA. As 

a result, the draft design for NMPA for sea 

turtles in the framework was refi ned (Table 

1) through the incorporation of relevant 

current management practices, research 

and monitoring needs (Pilcher, 2008). 

A Useful Resource

 

The SSME Framework for NMPAs is a 

product of a tedious technical process 

participated in by 32 MPA experts and 

practitioners, with experiences in networks 

of MPAs (e.g., Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef, 

Northwestern Australia). However, the 

framework – a  highly valuable material, is 

underutilized. Currently, its application is 

limited to CI’s SSS Project. 

While implementation of the framework’s 

action plans is limited, it is worth 

highlighting the following:

1.   From  2004-2005, the WWF was mostly 

responsible for implementing the 

immediate action priorities which the 

MPA experts set for the framework 

during its formulation in 2003. 

2.  The review and refi nement of the 

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33

Tropical Coasts

framework has been incorporated 

in the workplan of the Tri-national 

subcommittee for MPAs and Networks 

and approved at the 2nd Meeting of 

the Tri-National Committee for SSME in 

April 2007.

3.   The pilot-testing of the framework 

under the CI-SSS Project contributes 

to the implementation of the 

immediate action priorities for the 

framework. The experience of the MRF 

in designing a network of MPAs for 

sea turtles, highlights the usefulness 

of the framework as evidenced by 

the remarkable overlap between the 

framework and the actual conservation 

needs and actions on the ground.

There is an increasing recognition of 

the added value of networks of MPAs to 

conservation and sustainable development 

over a single MPA and a growing interest 

to pursue network establishment. The 

Coral Triangle Initiative which includes 

NMPAs, spurs enthusiasm among MPA 

scientists and practitioners to pick up the 

SSME Framework for NMPAs. CI, for its part, 

will continue to promote the framework, 

contribute to the review and refi nement 

through its membership in the Tri-National 

Committee for SSME, and communicate 

the encouraging results on the use of the 

framework to provide the impetus for 

others to try it. It will contribute to planning 

and establishment of MPA networks 

through partnerships, not only in Sulu-

Sulawesi but in other seascapes. 

References

 

Llewellyn, G., E. Miclat, L. Wilson, K. Kassem, 

M. McField, and I. Kamau. 2004. “Building 

Networks of Marine Protected Areas: Lessons 

from Five Large-scale Marine Conservation 

Eff orts in Tropical Coral Reef Systems.” 

Presented at the 10th International Coral 

Reef Symposium held in Okinawa, Japan. 

Available at: wwwsoc.nii.ac.jp/jcrs/icrs2004/

img/05oral_149-208.pdf.

Llewellyn, G., R. Kenchington, E. Miclat, R. Trono 

and A. Cabanban (eds). 2004. Framework for 

a Network of Marine Protected Areas in the 

Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion. World Wide 

Fund for Nature (WWF) Sulu-Sulawesi Marine 

Ecoregion Conservation Program, Quezon City, 

Philippines. 48 p. 

Miclat, E.F.B. 2008. CI-Philippines: Introducing 

the “Framework for Network of MPAs for 

Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion” to the 

MPA Learning Partnership. Presented at the 

Workshop on Learning Partnership for MPA 

Networks, Tagaytay, Philippines, May 2008. 

Under the auspices of USAID-supported project 

entitled “Eff ective Design and Management 

of Tropical Marine Protected Area Networks 

through Cross-Institutional Learning.”

Miclat, E.F.B. and R.B. Trono. 2008. “One  Vision, 

  

One Plan, Common Resources, Joint 

Management.” Tropical Coasts 15(1).  

“Conserving the Sulu and Sulawesi Seas.” 

  

(This issue.)

Miclat, E.F.B. and R.B. Trono (eds). 2002. A Vision 

for Life: Biodiversity conservation planning for 

the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion. WWF-

Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines. 289 p. 

(In CD).

Miclat, E.F.B., J.A. Ingles, and J.N.B. Dumaup. 

2006. “Planning across Boundaries for the 

Conservation of the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine 

Ecoregion.” Oceans and Coastal Management 

49:597-609.

Miclat, E.F.B., G. Llewellyn, R. Kenchington and A. 

Cabanban. 2005. “Developing a Framework 

for a Network of Marine Protected Areas in 

the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion.” IMPAC 

(International MPA Congress), Geelong, 

Australia, November 2005. Abstract.

Noss, .R.F. 1992. “The Wildlands Project: Land 

Conservation Strategy.” Wild Earth Special Issue 

– The Wildlands Project 10-25.

Pilcher, N.J., 2008. A Network of Protected Areas to 

Safeguard Marine Turtles in the Sulu-Sulawesi 

Seascape. Conservation International - 

Philippines. Quezon City, Philippines. 35 pp.

Roberts, C.M., S. Andelman, G. Branch, R.H. 

Bustamante, J.C. Castilla, J. Dugan, B.S. Halpern, 

K.D. Laff erty, H. Leslie, J. Lubchenco, D. McArdie, 

J.P. Possingham, M. Ruckelshaus, and R.R. 

Warner. 2003. “Ecological Criteria for Evaluating 

Candidate Sites for Marine Reserves.” Ecol Applic 

13(1):199-214.

Romero, F.G., J. Ingles, R.B. Trono, J.N. Dumaup, J.A. 

Palma, E. Miclat, P. Basintal and R. Cruz. “Turtle 

Islands Heritage Protected Area: Challenges 

and Opportunities for Transboundary 

Protection of Marine Turtles in the Sulu-

Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion.”  Presented at 

the 5th World Parks Congress, Durban, South 

Africa, 7-18 September 2003. 6 p.

Stakeholders of the SSME, Technical Working 

Groups of Indonesia, Malaysia and the 

Philippines, WWF-SSME  Conservation 

Program. 2004. Conservation Plan for the Sulu-

Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion. Dumaup, J.N.B., 

R.M. Cola, R.B. Trono, J.A. Ingles, E.F.B. Miclat and 

N.P. Ibuna (eds.). World Wide Fund for Nature-

Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion Program 

(WWF-SSME), Quezon City, Philippines. 168 pp.

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