https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2444 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 01:26:41 GMT 2026-06-23T01:26:41Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2304 Title: Governance on marine biodiversity in the area beyond National Jurisdiction : represented by marine genetic resources Abstract: Nowadays human being’s ability to explore the high sea and deep sea bed is increasing daily. As a new kind of marine resources, the marine biodiversity is attracting more and more attention for its scientific, economic, industrial, medical and environmental values. However, the exploitation and utilization of the marine biodiversity in the ABNJ has become a controversial issue across the globe. For the marine biodiversity in the ABNJ, developed countries take a view that the development and utilization should be exploited freely by each State according to the principle of “Freedom of the Seas”1. However, developing countries insist that the marine biodiversity in ABNJ should be regarded as the “common heritage” like “the Area” as well as its “resources” in it2 and the benefits should be owned by all human kinds. For the legal framework, now neither the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea nor the Convention on Biological Diversity has clearly regulated the marine biodiversity in ABNJ. And there is no such a related international organization which can regulate effectively. Therefore, the current international legal framework is incapable of supervising the marine biodiversity in ABNJ reasonably. Under that circumstance, international society feels it is necessary to establish an effective legal system on the marine biodiversity in ABNJ. This essay aims at introducing firstly the status quo of marine biodiversity and the existing problems of the conservation the marine biodiversity in the ABNJ; secondly the conflicts about the legal status of marine biodiversity represented by marine genetic resources in the ABNJ; thirdly the margins of the existing legal framework about the marine biodiversity in the ABNJ; last but not least the writer’s own analysis of the importance to protect the marine biodiversity and suggestion to protect and conserve the marine biodiversity in ABNJ. Description: International Ocean Institute (IOI) in collaboration with Faculty of Laws; M.A.OCEAN GOV. Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2304 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2302 Title: The role of environmental Education in Maltese marine protected areas Abstract: The researcher was interested in exploring the relationship between Environmental Education and Marine Protected Areas in Malta. This study aimed to assess the environmental knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of both relevant stakeholders and the Maltese public towards Malta’s marine environment, Marine Protected Areas and Environmental Education. A mixed-methods approach was adopted as the research methodology, which entailed the collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. This was accomplished through semi-structured interviews with twelve interviewees representing key stakeholders and the administration of a questionnaire to two hundred members of the Maltese public. The qualitative and quantitative data was collected concurrently and subsequently analyzed separately. Verbatim transcripts from the interviews were first analyzed on an individual question basis, and then a thematic second level analysis was performed. As for the quantitative data, an analysis employing both descriptive and inferential statistics was conducted. The study found that there is a lack of marine Environmental Education in Malta, although stakeholders and the Maltese public perceive it as important. Low levels of knowledge surrounding the local marine environment were recorded, but stakeholders and the Maltese public have an overall positive attitude towards Marine Protected Areas. Stakeholders identified cooperation as the preferred means to managing Malta’s Marine Protected Areas and also pointed to the need to address issues of implementation and enforcement. In response to these findings, recommendations are made regarding the further incorporation of marine Environmental Education in Malta, particularly surrounding the local Marine Protected Areas. Description: International Ocean Institute (IOI) in collaboration with Faculty of Laws Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2302 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2300 Title: Pollution from shipping : improving compliance measure Abstract: This thesis mainly focuses on the legal framework relating to the ship-source marine pollution at international and regional level respectively, and introduces the feasible compliance measure to strengthen the implementation regarding legislation and technology. This work focus on the importance of protecting marine environment through against marine pollution that caused by coastal State, flag State, and port State. And the common people are obliged to conserve the marine environment and human habitats from minor pollution. Chapter one discusses the current status of marine environment, then introduces the conception of Marine Pollution under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and presents the source of marine pollution. Chapter two mainly concerns the ship-source pollution, which can be identified as following: exhaust emission, ballast water, oil spill, sewage, and other sanitary pollution from ships. It will go into details about each category, especially analyzing the Torrey Canyon disaster. Chapter three discusses the legal framework of protecting marine pollution at international and regional level, mainly International Maritime Organization Conventions such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 73/78 (MARPOL 73/78) regarding to the ship-source pollution, and regulations of marine pollution from ships under UNCLOS. Chapter will also look at the 1976 Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention)3 and 1992 Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area (Helsinki Convention)4 which are relating to the regions of Mediterranean Sea and Baltic Sea. Chapter four deals with the improving compliance measure regarding three kinds of ship-source pollution, which respectively are oil spill pollution, exhaust emission, and ballast water. It introduces the measures that range from the perfecting legislations to improving the ship’s structure and advancing technology in this regard. All works are summarized above, the problems and suggestions are also concluded in the final part. Description: International Ocean Institute (IOI) in collaboration with Faculty of Laws; M.A.OCEAN GOV. Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2300 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2299 Title: Use of marine spatial planning to implement ecosystem-based management in a Maltese marine protected area Abstract: The present study on the use of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) to implement an ecosystembased approach to management the Qawra/Dwejra marine protected area (MPA) concludes that 15 proposed management measures may be used to improve regulation of human activities in the area. For implementation of the proposed management measures, the existing legal framework on international, regional and national level has been taken into consideration. These measures derive from the evaluation of a questionnaire distributed amongst six main groups of stakeholders for the area, including government authorities, nongovernmental organizations, dive centres, bus and boat trip operators, as well as small business owners operating in the MPA. Furthermore, interviews were held to acquire a better understanding of the interests and responsibilities of the different stakeholders. The data collected presents different views on the state of the environment, conflicts in the area, and suggested management and enforcement measures. Eleven categories of conflict have been identified and spatially analysed. Major conflicts exist along the coastline north of the Azure Window to the area around Fungus rock, an area where different activities overlap. An evaluation of additional data on the distribution of marine habitats in the area was used to integrate an ecosystem-based approach to management; this indicated conflicts between human activities and ecosystem functioning, including ones resulting from anchoring of leisure boats on Posidonia oceanica meadows. Other conflicts, identified following assessment of fishing pressure on the area using data provided by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA), related to fishing that contributed to conflict between fishers and divers, given that a decline of fish fauna occurred in the area. Two zonation schemes for the MPA, one proposed in an Action Plan for the area and another put forward by the Professional Diving Schools Association of Malta, Gozo (PDSA), were compared. The establishment of no-take zones included in both proposals is considered a useful conservation measure. Description: International Ocean Institute (IOI) in collaboration with Faculty of Laws; M.A.OCEAN GOV. Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2299 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z