Mosese Vesikara and his uncle, Kinikoto Mailautoka, are on the reef collecting sea urchins for lunch...When out collecting Vesikara and the other fishers carefully skirt the tabu – pronounced TAM-bo – a no-fishin
This story is part of a series on Marae Moana, the massive, recently enacted multiple-use marine protected area covering the Cook Islands’ entire exclusive economic zone.
A proposed ra’ui on the Ava’avaroa passage to ban all activity is looming over tour operators.The Aronga Mana of Titikaveka are looking to consult with the Ministry of Marine Resources on a 24/7 ra’ui.They are concerned the passage’s deadly rip poses serious safety concerns, and worried abo
This research focuses on coral reef health in the South Pacific region, an area of high global coral diversity. Coral reef health surrounding two study sites in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, has been assessed in areas that have not been previously surveyed. Each study site has distinct differences based upon marine management practices. Marine management practices are identified and described and some historical rea- sons as why they exist are discussed.
Though I had heard the word ra’ui, until I started working in the environment field I was not sure of its meaning. As a consequence of my work, I started to learn more about ra’ui through reading and talking to other conservationists and elderly people. Only then did I begin to understand more about this traditional practice.
Lagoons have always fascinated me. The size, shape, and length of a lagoon " and the number of channels that connect inner lagoonal waters with the open ocean " influence the types of coral communities that form within.Click on the link below to read the full blog.