Review of legislation, policies, strategies and plans relating to the development of marine protected areas in Fiji

Fiji is committed to the sustainable use of its marine resources and conserving its marine biodiversity. This commitment has been ratified through Fiji’s international responsibilities and obligations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD).

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area Management Plan 2015 - 2020

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.

ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF PROTECTED AREAS IN KADAVU PROVINCE, FIJI DIAGNOSIS AND ACTION PLAN

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.

Status of policy and target development and implementation for marine protected areas/marine managed areas in the Pacific Islands Region - a preliminary assessment and future directions

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.

Conservation Finance for Coral Reefs

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.

Comparison of historical (1980s) and contemporary (2023–2024) microplastic contamination of arc clams (Anadara spp.) from tidal flats in Suva, Fiji

Microplastic pollution threatens marine ecosystems, especially in vulnerable regions like the Pacific Islands. This study examines temporal trends by comparing Anadara spp. specimens from Fiji's tidal flats in the 1980s and 2023–2024. Historical samples from the University of the South Pacific's Marine Collection and newly collected specimens were analyzed. Results show microplastic contamination increased from 76 % of 1980s samples (0.42 ± 0.4 particles per individual) to 100 % in 2023–2024 (0.93 ± 0.4 particles per individual).

Guidelines for invasive species planning and management on islands

These Guidelines deal with invasive plants, animals, disease agents and other organisms, in marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments, and their impacts on the environment, biodiversity, ecosystem services, human health, economies and society. All of the main thematic areas and their objectives are required for comprehensive management of the invasive species threat. These Guidelines reflect and are compatible with relevant international conventions and standards (see Resources p.

Key Biodiversity Areas

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) are the most important places in the world for species and their habitats. Faced with a global environmental crisis we need to focus our collective efforts on conserving the places that matter most. The KBA Programme supports the identification, mapping, monitoring and conservation of KBAs to help safeguard the most critical sites for nature on our planet – from rainforests to reefs, mountains to marshes, deserts to grasslands and to the deepest parts of the oceans.

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A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Mt. Panié and Roches de la Ouaième region, province Nord, New Caledonia

The Mt. Panié RAP survey was led by a partnership between local communities, Province nord (Northern Province), Conservation International (CI) and Dayu Biik, an indigenous conservation non-profit organization. CI and Province nord’s relationships
with research institutes and experts, both in New Caledonia and internationally, brought together the multiple skills needed for
this comprehensive survey.