The International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium (ITMEMS) is a core activity of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) and has been convened by ICRI Secretariats in 1998 (Townsville, Australia), 2003 (Manila, The Philippines), 2006 (Cozumel, Mexico), 2011 (Guadalupe, France) and 2016 (Bohol, The Philippines), with the involvement and participation of ICRI members.
The purpose of ITMEMS is to strengthen the capacities of coastal and marine managers and their partners, to serve as a forum for peer group interaction and professional development, for conservation and promotion of the sustainable use of coral reefs and related ecosystems.
There is a confirmed interest in holding another ITMEMS, as both practitioners and managers have found previous ITMEMS to be important and effective for peer group information sharing, problem-solving and professional development.
At the 33rd ICRI General Meeting, an ad hoc Committee to discuss the organization of ITMEMS 6 including inter alia content and themes, possible host and venue location, timing of the symposium, range of participants, budget and financing was created.
Terms of Reference for ITMEMS 6 Ad Hoc Committee
As agreed at the December 2018 ICRI General Meeting, an ITMEMS 6 ad hoc Committee was formed. The outcomes of this group’s activities (detailed below) will be presented at the next ICRI General Meeting. This Committee will be composed of the following members:
- Chair: Indonesia – Fegi Nurhabni
- Representatives from previous and present ICRI Secretariat: Australia- Ben Palmer
- Members from the ICRI Membership:
- Japan – Tadashi Kimura
- Monaco – Wilfrid Deri
- UNEP – Gabriel Grimsditch
- SPREP – Akiko Hamada-Ano, Franck Connan
- TNC – Petra MacGowan, Elizabeth Mcleod
- UNDP – Penny Stock
- NOAA – Jason Philibotte
- Two representatives of the ITMEMS 6 host location (Indonesia).
ICRI members interest in joining the ad hoc committee to contact the ICRI Secretariat.
The ad hoc Committee is tasked with the following activities:
- Confirm location and dates for convening ITMEMS 6.
- Identify main activities which require funding and provide an indicative budget for ITMEMS 6.
- Provide and propose an outline of the ITMEMS 6 programme with potential themes and content.