The Government of Vanuatu has decided to develop an oceans policy, which aligns with recommendations from the
Commonwealth Secretariat.
This report summarises the main findings1 of an analysis and assessment of 69 instruments of legislation and
subordinate policies and plans that are relevant to management and use of Vanuatu’s territorial waters and therefore
relevant to the development of the national oceans policy. The review of Vanuatu’s legislation, policies, strategies and
plans relating to oceans management is part of the Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific Island
Countries (MACBIO) project.
The approach to the review involved an analytical framework comprising three components:
1. Individual analysis of legislation, policies, strategies and plans;
2. Integration of individual analyses into an assessment table for comparative analysis and assessment; and
3. A report which provides an assessment narrative based on the individual analyses and the information from the
assessment table.

Attribution

SUGGESTED CITATION: Muldoon J, Dovo A and L Fernandes (2015)
Review of legislation, policies, strategies and plans relating to the use and
management of Vanuatu’s oceans. Report to the Government of Vanuatu.
MACBIO (GIZ, IUCN, SPREP), Suva.
2015