Site Information Template
A template has been developed to provide the basis for a formal proposal to nominate a site for inclusion in the IOSEA Marine Turtle Site Network. Site nominations must come from governments, to assure the highest level of recognition within a country, but proposals can be drafted by other interested parties. In all cases, the completed Information Sheet is intended to be submitted by the national IOSEA Focal Point to the IOSEA Secretariat.
As the contents serve as the main basis for evaluation of site nominations, responses should be as comprehensive as possible. Throughout the Site Information template, cross references are made to the specific Evaluation Criteria that relate to the information requested in the template. Consequently, drafters of the site nomination can see exactly how the information they provide will be assessed and can judge for themselves whether or not their submission is complete and sufficiently detailed.
Access the current Site Information Template (version March 2024) here.
Evaluation Criteria
Considerable effort was put into to developing and refining criteria that will be used by the Advisory Committee to: (i) evaluate Signatory State nominations of new sites; (ii) assess the rationale for continued inclusion of existing sites; and (iii) conduct gap analyses for the overall network to identify priorities for inclusion of additional sites.
A Working Group established by the 8th Meeting of Signatory States revised the criteria, which were approved by Signatory States through a correspondence process in March 2024. The resulting criteria can be accessed here.
Discussion Group
A Discussion Group was formed in December 2015 for the purpose of exchanging ideas on operationalising the IOSEA Marine Turtle Site Network. More than a dozen members have now been identified for eight of the 10 participating sites. One of the members – Clément Quétel, working in France’s Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF) – has described the Group’s purpose very well:
“This type of initiative is indeed an effective tool to facilitate communication within the network. This group will encourage experience-sharing and regional cooperation, increase the coherence of actions in the Indian Ocean for marine turtles, and put in touch the various organisations involved in the conservation of these species. These exchanges will be also an opportunity to identify more easily the financing sources, institutional or by sponsorship.”
Early discussions within the Group have focused on: the need for official certification for each of the Network Sites, exchanging ideas about the design elements that ought to be incorporated into physical sign boards to be produced for each site, and summarising the key attributes of each site for the purpose of identifying common themes and opportunities for collaboration.
Ideas have also been exchanged about the elements that ought to be featured on outdoor sign boards designed for public viewing at Network Sites, including: target messages; factual information in appropriate languages, together with images and maps; instructions aimed at influencing visitor behaviour, in the form of "Do and Don'ts"; and contact details for responsible authorities, logos etc.
Click to read the Profile of the Month for May 2016: Towards operationalising the IOSEA Marine Turtle Site Network.
IOSEA Marine Turtle Site Network - Discussion Group Membership
|
COUNTRY |
MEMBER |
ORGANISATION |
|
|
France |
Jérôme BOURJEA |
IFREMER |
|
|
France |
Sophie MARINESQUE |
Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF) |
|
|
France |
Clément QUETEL |
Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (TAAF) |
|
|
Iran |
Asghar MOBARAKI |
Department of Environment |
|
|
Philippines** |
Josie DE LEON |
Biodiversity Management Bureau |
|
|
Seychelles |
Alain DE COMARMOND |
Environment Department |
|
|
Seychelles |
Rowana WALTON |
Seychelles Islands Foundation |
|
|
South Africa |
Ronel NEL |
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
|
|
Tanzania |
Lindsey WEST |
SeaSense |
|
|
U.A.E. |
Obaid ALSHAMSI |
Ministry of Environment |
|
|
U.A.E. |
Himansu Sekhar DAS |
Environment Agency – |
|
|
U.A.E. |
Ahmed AL ALI |
Environment and Protected Areas Authority |
|
|
U.A.E. |
Marina ANTONOPOULOU |
Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF |
|
|
n/a |
Heidrun FRISCH-NWAKANMA |
CMS/IOSEA Secretariat |
** Pending official confirmation from BMB-Phillippines