Component 2
Component 2: National Policy, Legal and Institutional Arrangement and Co-ordination
2.2 Monitoring the Implementation of NAPs
2.2.1. Maintain and Enhance the Existing Network of Regional Working Group on Seagrass
The South China Sea Project will complete its mandate by 2007; and in order to sustainably maintain the network of seagrass in the region, it is imperative to have the current existing Regional Working Group on Seagrass (RWG-SG) be maintained and functional by having regular annual meeting. The member or the Focal Point from each country would play extremely a crucial role in monitoring the implementation of the National Action Plan for seagrass management and conservation when the plan is approved by the national government of each country. At the meeting each year, members will report results/outputs of the NAP implementation; and at the same time issues/problems will be raised for discussion at the meeting.
At national level, each member will maintain the relationship with concerned national institutions and local coastal government agencies for maintaining the network of seagrass by having regularly annual national committee meeting.
2.3 Strengthening Traditional Value into Management System
2.3.1. Compile Ethnobotanical and Traditional Practices and Management of Seagrass considering their application in the Modern Context
Historically, each country in the region must have ethnobotanical and traditional practices and management of seagrass ecosystem and conservation of endangered species such as sea turtles, dugong and dolphins. Good practices of associated seagrass vegetable in the region for traditional medicine, herbs, food, etc., will be compiled as regionally single document for the use of local people in all seven countries. Similarly, legends and religious advices regarding the management and conservation of seagrass and associated species will be brought by members of the RWG-SG to the annual meeting for compiling into a regional document of practices. The regional documents of good practices for seagrass management and conservation of endangered species will be translated into deferent national languages for distribution.
2.4. Establish an Incentive System
2.4.1. Development of Criteria and Award System for Exemplary Seagrass Related Projects
In order to enhance the management and awareness of seagrass ecosystem in the region, an incentive system is indispensable tool. In each year, three best seagrass related projects in the region will be put into consideration by members of the RWG-SG in order to provide a prize or a trophy. An amount budget will be allocated for prizes of the three wining projects in each year. This selection will be carried out based on the criteria developed by the Regional Working Group on Seagrass at the beginning of the SAP implementation during the course of its annual meeting.
To publicise the award system, in each country a national workshop will be conducted by participation of relevant stakeholders from all levels, especially local and community level, in order to discuss the criteria and be aware the award system for good practices of seagrass related projects.
2.6. International and Regional Co-operation
2.6.1. Participation in the International Associations and Network related to seagrass
In order to enhance the international and regional co-operation, representatives of the existing seagrass network (or members of the RWG-SG) will participate in an internationally organised symposium, conference, workshop, and/or a meeting. Members will present to the meeting the outputs of activities implemented since the beginning of the SCS project. On the other hand, lessons learnt from other seagrass related projects/activities of other places will be brought and shared with the rest of members and related institutions in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand.
