July 8, 2021
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Kneeling on the seabed a few metres underwater, I pick up a clam and begin gently cleaning its furrowed, porcelain smile with a toothbrush. It’s a giant clam but a young one and still just a handful.
May 20, 2021
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The Cook Islands National Environmental Services have reminded the public once again of the restrictions surrounding the removal of pa’ua (giant clam meat and shells) from the reef and taking the shellfish out of the country.
April 3, 2021
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Government says it has no intention to legislate Ra’ui to manage the country’s reef and lagoons, opting instead to introduce contemporary approaches that aim to address perceived over-harvesting of resources.
March 25, 2021
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A recent confrontation between a Government MP and a Rarotonga market stall operator over the harvesting of Avake (sea urchin) has revived calls to give traditional conservation practices greater authority by incorporating them into law.
March 19, 2021
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In recent times, communities in the Western Province of Solomon Islands have seen a drastic decrease in fish numbers in their common fishing grounds. Two coastal communities that rely on the ocean for survival are Nusa Baruku, on Gizo Island, and Babanga...The communities need assistance from aut
March 5, 2021
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The staggering level at which Titikaveka passages are being raided for fish and seafood is causing deep concern in the village and Opposition MP Selina Napa wants it to stop immediately.
Environmental risks associated with submarine tailings discharge in Astrolabe Bay, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
Highlands Pacific Limited is currently seeking finance for the development of a Nickel-Cobalt mine in Madang Province. Papua New Guinea. The mine will be located near the Ramu River, with processing facilities at Basamuk Bay on the Rai Coast. Basainuk Bay is a small embayment of the larger Astrolabe Bay. Highlands Pacific plans to dispose of mill tailings through a submarine outfall into Astrolabe Bay. Oceanographic conditions in Astrolabe Bay make this practise inadvisable if consideration is given to the ecological health of the Madang region.
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Sea cucumber fisheries : a manager's toolbox
Fishers have changed their methods from wading in the shallows to the use of sail and paddle canoes, and dinghies with outboard motors. This has resulted in greater coverage of the area where sea cucumbers live, more regular fishing, access to remote areas and the capacity to transport greater catches. Loss of much larger numbers of sea cucumbers from many areas as a result of this increased fishing pressure reduces the chances of adults remaining at densities high enough for effective reproduction.
Hungry oceans: what happens when the prey is gone?
According to conventional wisdom, small, fast-growing fish are impossible to overfish because their populations are so large and grow so quickly. Yet we are now seeing disquieting signs that conventional wisdom is wrong. Most significantly, scientists are reporting ocean predators emaciated from lack of food, vulnerable to disease and without enough energy to reproduce. Scrawny predatorsdolphins, striped bass, and even whaleshave turned up along coastlines around the world. Recreational fishermen are losing both their target fishand their bait.
February 18, 2021
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More Samoans are turning to the ocean to sustain their livelihoods as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to force more and more people out of jobs...35 year old Kitiona Malaesaili is one of those who has turned to the ocean for food and income in order to support his family in these