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Launching YSLME Phase II Project

GEF/UNDP Yellow Sea SAP Implementation

By IW:LEARN

March 3^rd, 2017

The UNDP/GEF/UNOPS Project entitled Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem: Restoring Ecosystem Goods and Services and Consolidation of a Long-Term Regional Environmental Governance Framework, or UNDP/GEF YSLME Phase II Project, will be launched on 27-29 March 2019 in Seoul, RO Korea. The launch events will be hosted by Ministry Oceans and Fisheries of RO Korea.

This project builds upon four years of regional cooperation for the sustainable use of the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME) put in place by China and the Republic of Korea, supported by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Yellow Sea Partnership and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The initial project completed a regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and finalized a regional Strategic Action Programme (SAP), the implementation of which will be operationalized by the national SAP.

The project’s objective is to foster a long-term sustainable institutional, policy, and financial arrangements for effective ecosystem-based management of the Yellow Sea (YS), To achieve this objective, the project will support the formation of an YSLME Commission that will oversee the implementation of the SAP; and will support the states' efforts to reduce the decline in biological resources and to restore depleted fish stocks in the Yellow Sea.

Photo: Ms. Sunyoung Chae, Project Officer, YSLME Phase I Project

In line with the GEF-5 International Waters (IW) strategic priorities, GEF will assist the countries reach an agreement on ecosystem-based joint action for the sustainable management of the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem, and to catalyse institutional reforms and support the implementation of policies aimed at reducing over-fishing and benefiting communities. There are four components of the project: 1) Sustainable national and regional cooperation for ecosystem based management; 2) Improved Ecosystem Carrying Capacity with respect to provisioning services; 3) Improved Ecosystem Carrying Capacity with respect to regulating and cultural services; 4) Improved Ecosystem Carrying Capacity with respect to supporting services. The key outcomes sought are: 1) establishment of a self-sustaining cooperative mechanism for ecosystem-based management; 2) recovery of depleted fish stocks and improved mariculture production and quality; 3) improved ecosystem health; 4) improved inter-sectoral coordination and mainstreaming of ecosystem based management principles at the national level, maintenance of habitat areas, strengthened stakeholder participation in management and improved policy making; and 4) skills and capacity significantly developed for region-wide ecosystem-based management.

The inception workshop among others will adopt the inception report, establish the institutional structure of YSLME Interim Commission Council, approve workplan for 2017 and a roadmap towards a sustainable regional framework.