Solomon Islanders are ocean people. We are not separate to our ocean: we are part of our ocean. It is reflected in our history, our culture, our traditions and in our day-to-day lives. We not only respect the plants, animals and fish of the sea but recognise our own role in maintaining the integrity of our ocean ecosystem and its importance to economy. Our marine resources are valued at over SBD2.5 billion per year.
While the ocean covers more than two thirds of the Earth’s surface, the oceanic territory of Kiribati is morethan 4,000 times larger than its land territory. With an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 3.55 million km2,Kiribati is a large ocean state. This island nation contains many marine ecosystems, from globally significant coral-reefs to mangroves, seagrass areas, sea-mounts and deep-sea trenches supporting more than 500 fish species, including sharks and rays, as well as whales, dolphins and sea turtles. We are committed to conservingthis unique marine biodiversity.
While the ocean covers more than two thirds of the Earth’s surface, the oceanic territory of Solomon Islands is more than 47 times larger than its land territory. With an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 1.34 million km2, Solomon Islands is a large ocean state.
While the ocean covers more than two thirds of the Earth’s surface, the oceanic territory of Vanuatu is 57 times larger than its land territory. With an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 680,000 km2, Vanuatu is a large ocean state. This island nation contains many marine ecosystems, from globally significant coral reefs to mangroves, seagrass areas, seamounts and deep-sea trenches supporting at least 769 fish species, including sharks and rays, as well as whales, dolphins and sea turtles. We are committed to conserving this unique marine biodiversity.
While the ocean covers more than two thirds of the Earth’s surface, the oceanic territory of Fiji is 70 times larger than its land territory. With an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 1.29 million km 2 , Fiji is a large ocean state. This island nation contains many marine ecosys - tems, from globally significant coral reefs to man - groves, seagrass areas, seamounts and deep-sea trenches supporting more than 1,200 fish species, including sharks and rays, as well as whales, dolphins and sea turtles. We are committed to conserving this unique marine biodiversity.
The Phoenix Islands lie in the heart of the Pacific Ocean and are one of the most remote island chains on Earth. They are located approximately halfway between Fiji and Hawaii. The largest atoll, Kanton, is 1,750 km (1,087 miles) from the Kiribati capital Tarawa. The eight islands are uninhabited except for Kanton Atoll that houses a small caretaker population.
The Resilience of Ecosystems and Societies to Climate Change (RESCCUE) project is a regional project implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. The overall goal of RESCCUE is to contribute to increasing the resilience of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) in the context of global changes. To this end RESCCUE aims at supporting adaptation to climate change (ACC) through integrated coastal management (ICM), resorting especially to economic analysis and economic and financial mechanisms.
This paper is based on presentations and discussions held during a marine managed areas (MMAs)2session organised by NOAA, SPREP and Conservation International (CI) as part of the “Our Seas of Islands” Regional Forum for Oceania on MMAs convened by
NOAA, UNESCO and partners held in Hawaii in January 2007. The overall objective of the session was to promote a shared understanding of the extent and diversity of MPA/MMA approaches and key lessons learned in their design, and to identify practical and strategic future actions to further apply these tools in the Oceania marine realm.
Coral reefs face threats from climate change and local pressures, but many initiatives designed to deliver conservation outcomes for them and the social-economic systems they support are limited by sustainable finance and the availability of funds over the long term. Conservation finance is viewed as part of a holistic approach to coral reef conservation that integrates science-based biodiversity, social, and economic solutions tailored to local socio-cultural, environmental, and economic conditions to ensure their effective design and implementation.
In recognition of the need for National Parks and protected areas in the South Pacific, the New Zealand Government hosted the First South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves in 1975, in association with the South Pacific Commission (SPC) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This meeting was at Ministerial. A second South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves, also at Ministerial level, was held in 1979 in Australia.
