Crown-of-thorns seastars (COTS, Acanthaster spp.) are the most notorious coral predators, whose devastating outbreaks cause recurrent and extensive coral depletion across Indo-Pacific reefs. However, the spread potential of COTS outbreaks and the anthropogenic role in their initiation have remained a subject of intense debate for over five decades.
This study seeks to shed light on the rates and drivers of tree cover loss in island catchments focusing on a case study from Fiji. Global Forest Watch (GFW) is critically assessed as a framework for quantifying terrestrial tree cover loss and associated forest carbon stocks. The study assesses the role of the drivers of tree cover loss identified by GFW global models including anthropogenic deforestation: shifting agriculture, wildfires, urbanisation and plantation forestry as well as other drivers outside of the globally standardised list.
mo e ngaahi Feitu’u Pule’i Makehe pe Special Management Areas (SMA). Ko e kaveinga, ke fai ha ako mo ha fevahevahe’aki fekau’aki mo hono fokotu’u mo fakalele ‘o e ngaue ni ‘i Tonga ni. Ne fakalele mo fokotu’utu’u ‘a e konifelenisi ni ‘e he MACBIO (ko e polokalama ngaue ki hono tokangaekina, pule’i mo malu’i ‘o e ngaahi me’amo’ui kotoa ‘i ‘oseni ‘o tautefito ki he ngaahi matafanga ‘i he Pasifiki). Ne kau atu mo e Potungaue Toutai pea mo e Sosaieti Sivile ‘a Tonga ‘i hono fakalele ‘o e konifelenisi ni ki ha kau fakafofonga ‘e toko 65 mei he ngaahi tapa kehekehe ‘o Tonga .
Marine spatial planning is underway now, or starting, in many Pacific Island countries, including the Solomon Islands. This planning aims, amongst other things, to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Aichi Target 11 which states, in part, that at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas are conserved through ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas. For the Solomon Islands, means to achieve an ecologically representative system of marine protected areas is missing.
In understanding effective marine management, the project aims to support communities in its five partner countries to learn about existing management practices. “Learning sites” were chosen over “pilot sites” as MACBIO aspires to highlight examples of communities who have been recognized for their effective marine management approaches. Within Fiji, two proposed learning sites were chosen including the Vanua1 Navakavu and the province of Macuata. In this report, we highlight lessons from the Yavusa Navakavu.
In 2015, the Tongan Cabinet embarked upon a National Marine Spatial Planning process, establishing a marine spatial planning technical working group comprising seven Ministries (the “Ocean 7”). One of their tasks was to identify Tonga’s special, unique marine areas. This report brings together data, literature and the outputs of a special workshop synthesising information about the areas identified. Data collected informed a scoring system by which the areas could be rated.
The Government of Vanuatu has decided to develop an oceans policy, aligning with recommendations from the Commonwealth Secretariat. This report has been prepared to provide an analysis and assessment of legislation relevant to management and use of Vanuatu’s oceans, to contribute to the development of a national oceans policy. The review approach 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.
This study aimed to determine an economic value1 of seven marine and coastal ecosystem services in Kiribati. It is part of the MACBIO (Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific Island Countries) project, which aims to improve the management of marine and coastal biodiversity in Pacific Island countries.
The exclusive economic zone of Tonga, nearly 700,000 km2 of ocean, is 1000 times larger than the country’s land area. Coastal and marine resources provide the Government of Tonga, businesses and households many real and measurable benefits. Without a doubt, the country’s largest stock of natural wealth lies within the sea. The role that natural ecosystems, especially marine ecosystems, play in human wellbeing is often overlooked or taken for granted.
This study aimed to estimate the economic value of seven marine and coastal ecosystem services1 in Vanuatu. It is part of the MACBIO (Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific Island Countries) project, which aims to improve the management of marine and coastal biodiversity in Pacific Island countries. Marine and coastal ecosystems provide important benefits for society and contribute to the livelihoods, food security and safety of millions of people around the world.
