Marine preservation lessons from Fiji
By FRANCIS GABRIEL
IF there is something to learn from Fiji, it would be tourism.
However, without preservation and conservation of the islands’ pristine beaches and exotic underwater world – an important development goal for Fiji’s government, non-governmental organizations and citizens – tourism would not be possible.
I was privileged to be part of a group of journalist from media organizations in the country to visit Fiji, not to see how tourism works but to see how powerful marine conservation is to trigger tourism.
The trip was co-organised by SeaWeb and Fiji locally marine managed area (FLMMA) network.
The objective of our trip was to visit locally marine managed areas (LMMAs) and marine protected areas (MPAs), view their operations and learn from their experiences.
The experience can then be shared through the media to improve LMMAs and MPAs in PNG.
During our week there we visited four villages (Korolevu-i-wai in Namada, Namaqumaqua in Serua, Muaivuso in Navakavu and Ucunivanua in Verata) with a group of traditional leaders from New Caledonia accompanied by New Caledonia WWF marine officer Sebastien Faninoz, who were there on a similar mission.
We first visited Korolevu-i-wai in Fiji’s western province of Namada, almost four hours drive out of Nadi.
We were welcomed by the village chief, Ratu Ulaeasi “Stila” Taukei, and the village FLMMA representative Bola Tubuna and accorded a traditional sevusevu (kava welcome) ceremony.
We spent a night in Korolevu-i-wai, where we experienced Fijian life and hospitality, laid out mats covered with different delicious Fijian dishes and fruits at every meal followed by countless bowls of kava.
My Post-Courier colleague Pearson Kolo and I were honoured to dine with and be accommodated by Ratu Stila during our stay.
We were taken on a tour of the village’s plantation, which in Papua New Guinea is just an ordinary garden. During our plantation walk, we planted two avocado trees, one for the New Caledonian team and the other for us, as per Ratu Stila’s request to mark our visit.
The PNG team also went snorkeling to see the village’s eight-year-old MPA, which is part of the coral coast reef – a diving destination for tourists.
Like all good experiences, this one too had to come to an end, and it brought tears to some of us when we had to part with our host, both men and women folks, singing Isa Lei (Fiji’s farewell song).
We also visited the Sand Dunes, which is part of the Fijian National Habitat Park. The Sand Dunes, which are as high as mountains, are formed by winds blowing at a 45 degree angle, and changes forms depending on the force of the wind.
The Sand Dunes is also a training ground for the invincible Fiji rugby union national team.
Our visit to Namaqumaqua, was an eye-opener as it was our first time to see corals farmed – never thought that was possible.
The village marine scientific officer Iliapi Tuwai took us underwater to see the newly planted table of corals and their sea garden of giant clam shells.
Just like in Korolevu-i-wai, we were served with Fiji’s best delicacies followed by kava while being entertained with Fijian tunes. Swaying to the ukulele and guitar tunes was a unique experience, especially when it is with a beautiful Fijian lass.
We then visited Muaivuso’s MPA, where we took part in reef snorkeling, shoreline walk (beach and mangrove) and garden tours under the guidance of the village FLLMA representative Jolame Sikolia and his monitoring team.
Here, though the underwater life is intact and natural, it suffers everyday from pollution from the city as it is lies directly facing Suva.
Our day at Muaivuso ended with a number of dramas performed by students of Muaivuso, Fijian songs and of course some more bowls of kava.
Our last visit was to Pio Radikedive’s village, Ucunivanua. Radikedive is one of Verata and Fiji’s influential persons in the areas of marine conservation.
He has represented the Pacific in many of the world’s major marine conservation forums and summits.
Verata is historically known as the origin of all Fijians, which makes Ucunivanua the village of chiefs.
At Ucunivanua, we visited its MPA, which has been in existence since 1997, and its seafront where mangroves had been planted to replace the one’s that had been chopped down for various reasons.
As in the other villages, we were spoilt with mouth watering traditional dishes and kava from the carrying-on of the sevusevu.
To round up our visit, we met with marine non-governmental organizations and government representatives, especially from the Fiji’s Department of Fisheries to discuss and learn about Fiji’s marine conservation policies and programmes.
From the discussion, we learnt that in order for the LMMA networks to improve the success of their conservation efforts, they have to provide guidance and capacity building to members in the areas of project design, management, monitoring, analysis and communication.
According to Fiji’s National Fisheries’ representative and chairman of FLMMA Suni Waqanabete, using these skills adaptively allows projects to learn more about their progress and increase the impact of their actions.
The networks are made up of community members, traditional leaders, conservation staff, academics and researchers, conservation donors and decision makers.
It is understood the network envisions:
* Healthy marine ecosystems that support the people and resources that depend on them;
* Protected marine biodiversity;
* Sustainable coastal development;
* Improved conservation science; and
* Effective local management methods and models for marine areas.
According to Alifereti Tawake, the project manager for Kadavu LMMA and an academic with the Institute of Applied Science at the University of South Pacific, the reason for setting up LMMAs and MPAs is to address issues such as:
* Over fishing – use of undersize nets, night diving, unlicensed fishers;
* Use of destructive fishing methods, i.e. scuba gear, poison rope;
* Harvesting of corals, live rock harvesting;
* Cutting of mangroves, which are feeding and breeding grounds of marine life, and also acts as windbreakers and prevents sea erosion;
* Marine pollution;
* Lack of resource owners and users awareness and commitment to realize the state of one’s fishing areas; and
* Lack of alternative livelihood options.
Other additional threats to fisheries include:
* Siltation – unsustainable logging and agricultural practices;
* Climate change – coral Bleaching; and
* Targeting of fish aggregation sites by fishermen.
These issues are no different to PNG, “which is believed to be one of the maritime nations including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste having the highest marine biodiversity in the world”, according to AAP quoting a statement by the Asian Development Bank on April 29.
“But excessive fishing, including the use of cyanide and dynamite, has destroyed large swathes of coral reef and depleted marine activity in these areas. A rise in sea levels, ocean temperatures and water acidity because of climate change may also hasten the damage.”
LMMAs and MPAs are very important in conserving for the future generations and also for its economic benefits such as tourism of which Fiji is renown for.
In PNG the LMMA network’s membership comprises marine protected areas (MPAs) in five maritime provinces. They are Manus (two LMMA sites), Madang (two LMMA sites in Madang Lagoon), West New Britain (seven sites in Kimbe Bay), New Ireland (seven sites in Kavieng) and Central province (one site – Papua Barrier Reef).
LMMA projects in PNG, though they are not that advanced as the ones in Fiji, relate to coral and sea grass monitoring, mangrove replanting and turtle nesting.
The LMMA concept places greater responsibility on the communities to use and manage their marine resources in a sustainable manner. This gives the ownership of conservation to local communities and local ownership is a major contributing factor to the success of this strategy of marine conservation.
In all sites, the communities have identified a problem and reserved the sites in order to rectify that problem.
From our visits to the four Fijian villages in comparison with LMMAs and MPAs here in PNG, it can be said that:
* FLMMA network is very big in its membership compared to PNG – having a membership of 410 protected areas or qoliqolis – and is well organized;
* Locally-managed marine areas are more successful;
* There is greater community participation in the management of the sites;
* More government support and commitment contributing towards LMMA projects’ success; and
* Media in Fiji is attuned to conservation and LMMA issues, and gives greater publicity of the concept and its issues.
If PNG is serious about sustaining its marine life and habitats for the current generation and preserving for the future generations, the government, conservation NGOs and every maritime community should take up these suggestions by Tawake:
* Scale up network of LMMAs and MPAs up to island/coast-wide network systems from site based work;
* Build supportive institutional networks if networks of LMMAs and MPAs are to be sustainable;
* Take on board science, as it is more useful as a tool for LMMAs and MPAs network development instead of being the driver; and
* To remember that community’s trust, respect and peoples’ will is the key to seek first for a lasting LMMA and MPA initiatives.
A big vinaka vakalevu to:
* Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network
* SeaWeb Fiji
* SeaWeb PNG
* People of the four villages we visted
* Village chiefs from all four villages
* Site coordinators
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