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This report has been prepared by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts for Members of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to support discussion on Agenda Item 8.1 'Streamlined reporting by Pacific Island countries (PICs) to the biodiversity- related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) - the development of a consolidated reporting template' at the 19th SPREP Meeting in September 2008.

Pacific island countries' are maritime nations with vast marine estates. They cover almost 30 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean and contain a high proportion of the largest and most valuable tuna fisheries in the world. The coral reefs, lagoons and deeper water habitats of the region are significant components of global tropical marine biodiversity. They form part of the fabric of Pacific cultures and society.