https://fiji.wcs.org RSS feeds for WCS Fiji 60 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15966/New-water-infrastructure-benefits-Bureta-communities.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=15966 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15966&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15966/New-water-infrastructure-benefits-Bureta-communities.aspx For almost two decades, the villagers of Naviteitei, Nasaga and Tai in Bureta District situated on Ovalau Island in the province of Lomaiviti, faced difficulties in accessing sufficient and an unpolluted supply of water from the dam to their homes. The problem as told by many, was the continuous clogging of the dam by sediments and debris, mainly soil and gravel that piled up in the dam and prevented flow of water.  However, after the construction of the new dam that included a sedimentation chamber and a collection box in November last year, the villagers experienced a change that made their lives easier.                                     Reconstruction of the dam in Bureta District on Ovalau Island, last year. ©Zoom Fiji/WCS “For the first time in over two decades, we received continuous supply of water during Christmas and this was a blessing,” said Salanieta Kilibau of Naviteitei village. “Even our families and relatives who visited the village during holidays from towns and outer islands were surprised that we had uninterrupted and debris free water supply in our homes unlike the other times,” the 58-year-old added.  For what was of more relief to Miss Kilibau was that the women in her village no longer had to make tiring trips to the river with their laundry and dishes to wash. “Before almost every day, I used to watch women and the children from our village carry their heavy loads of clothes and dishes to wash at the river nearby and I used to feel very sorry for them because despite having taps at their homes, they could not get enough water to wash and do their household chores. But now, life has truly become easier for them,” she said.The new dam with additional features was constructed with support from Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project, Water Authority of Fiji and Lomaiviti Provincial Council, currently serves uninterrupted fresh water to more than 350 people from three villages, a settlement, the Bureta Airstrip, the local health center and a primary school.  To ensure that the dam continues to function, the chairman of the Bureta Water Committee, Jone Aukerea, said the committee members will conduct monthly inspections. “We now have the dam with good services that provide us with the uninterrupted water supply, and we do not have any complaints however, it is our responsibility now to ensure that it continues this way, so we will do monthly inspections of the dam and if there are any problems we will try to address it quickly,” Mr Aukerea said. Bureta Water Committee members with the staff of Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji, Water Authority of Fiji and Lomaiviti Provincial Council. ©Arishma Devi/WCSIn addition to this, the water committee bought a new set of distribution pipes to replace the leaking ones currently serving households from the reservoir. Mr Aukerea also mentioned that during the Tropical Cyclone Ana in January this year, a pipe had disconnected from the dam that slowed the water supply. However, the problem was addressed quickly. The project is generously supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  WISH Fiji embraces an integrated approach by working with national and local government, rural communities and the commercial sector in Fiji to take a systems approach to health and well-being through focused action within five river sub-catchments with documented cases of typhoid, leptospirosis and dengue fever. Arishma Devi Sun, 21 Mar 2021 22:03:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15966 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14741/Forest-wardens-no-longer-to-walk-16-km-a-day-for-patrol.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=14741 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14741&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14741/Forest-wardens-no-longer-to-walk-16-km-a-day-for-patrol.aspx In 2017, Joeli Matai and Jona Cati graduated as forest wardens from the Colo-i-Suva Forestry Training Center. The two have since then, committed to protecting the Kilaka Forest Conservation Area, near their village in the District of Kubulau in Bua Province, Vanua Levu. For the past three years, twice a month, Joeli, 52 and Jona, 36, walked approximately 16 kilometers to patrol the 402 ha Kilaka Forest Conservation Area to ensure it was safeguarded against threats such as illegal logging, gravel extraction and careless burning. Through the assistance of Wildlife Conservation Society’s, Fiji Country Program (WCS Fiji), the wardens received horses as a mode of transportation to ease patrolling duties. They also received waterproof jackets and gum boots to protect them from unfavourable weather conditions during their patrols. The forest wardens with the horses and protective body suits. Photo: suppliedIn expressing his happiness in receiving the horses, Joeli said, “We depend on forests for our survival, from the air we breathe to the wood we use and I am happy to receive this assistance which will help me carry out my duties even better.” He said that the new mode of transport will reduce their time of travel and allow them to patrol the forest area thoroughly. This also meant they could divide their time between patrolling, farming and other village activities more efficiently. “Normally, the walk to the Kilaka forest is long and tiring and because the forest area is so big, it takes at least three hours or more to complete the patrol,” Joeli added.  Highlighting the importance of the role that they played, WCS Fiji Community Engagement Officer, Sirilo Dulunaqio said the forest wardens are the eyes and ears of the community and also to the Ministry of Forestry. Their continued service allows special places like the Kilaka Forest to be preserved for our future. “As full-time farmers, Joeli and Jona are both dedicated to protecting the natural resources and have been crucial in the implementation of the Kilaka Forest Conservation Area Management Plan which was designed through numerous consultations with forest land owners and WCS Fiji,” Sirilo said. The Kilaka Forest Conservation Area, is situated on land belonging to Mataqali Nadicake (land owning unit) in Kilaka Village. The conservation area is protected under a 99 year conservation lease between WCS and the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) to ensure the long-term protection of the highly biodiverse forest and its water sources. Arishma Devi Mon, 10 Aug 2020 23:25:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14741 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14052/Profile-Feature--Akanisi-Caginitoba-and-her-life-as-a-Community-Engagement-Coordinator.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=14052 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14052&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14052/Profile-Feature--Akanisi-Caginitoba-and-her-life-as-a-Community-Engagement-Coordinator.aspx Akanisi (known to many as Cagi) was born in Vanuatu. At the age of 13, she came to Fiji with her family and since then lived a life of a Fiji urbanite. Akanisi’s passion for working with Fijian communities developed when she first went to a village in 2002, as a community engagement officer. She noticed how the villagers lived a worriless life away from the urban rush and race for time and money. Wildlife Conservation Society, Community Engagement Coordinator, Akanisi Caginitoba ©WCS “In the village, if there are no sugar and tea leaves, people can improvise with the natural resources they are surrounded with,” says Akanisi. “They cook cassava and dalo (taro) and have it with the water they boiled it with, making it their breakfast. Fresh fruits between meals serve as snack or dessert,” she added. Akanisi’s passion to learn more about Fijian culture and traditions from different communities has brought her closer to them. “I like listening to old stories that they have. For instance, how Bua got its name? How people settled there and how times have changed for them? Given the increase in the demand for money, I have also heard about how people are trying to look for new ways to make money which is having other consequences like risking the loss of their resources or forgetting traditional skills such as weaving mats and baskets.” She explains, “I know that through the various projects supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) on natural resource management and livelihoods, I am able to weave and foster the traditional skillsets of the community members back into their daily lives, and help them do what they have been doing right – protecting their valuable culture and heritage and resources for their children and Fiji’s future. Akanisi with Wildlife Conservation Society staff during a meeting. ©Eferemo Kubunavanua  The community life captivated Akanisi and prompted her to specialize in community engagement. Her role as a WCS Community Engagement Coordinator provides visionary leadership, and assists communities to identify, design and raise funds for their projects. Through the research and data collected by WCS’s scientists, Akanisi helps communities understand the health of their surrounding natural resources. She works with them to create bottom-up community-based resource management plans that integrates the traditional ecological knowledge and science. These plans not only protect the resources such as fisheries and forests but also offer sustainable economic benefits to communities. Akanisi has been with WCS for over two decades working throughout the 14 provinces of Fiji in over 120 villages, each with different cultural and traditional backgrounds. She has helped nine districts develop ecosystem-based management (EBM) plans, and is currently developing pathways and approaches to integrate disaster risk reduction into community planning processes. She has also worked with communities, mainly women to establish their alternative livelihood projects which included: virgin coconut oil, honey and ‘kuta’ mats. 1. What has been one of the greatest highlights of your career so far?                                                                     Our team has successfully worked with all nine districts of Bua Province to implement their EBM plans. Last year, we launched the Koro Island EBM plan, the first ever island-scale EBM plan for Fiji. These are integrated approaches to managing community/island resources sustainably. I am forever grateful for the excellent support I received from the district and island hierarchy committee members, which has made the development of this plan possible. The leaders and people of Koro are happy with the plan because this will enable their food security and ensure a sustainable income for them and their future generation.2. Why are you passionate about community engagement? I am very passionate about my work because I get to visit new places in Fiji especially in the areas that we work in. With the kind of work that I do I get to interact with different people and I am always ready to bring a change and give them hope for a brighter future, if they look after their ecosystem well. With this role I am able to facilitate changes, assist address issues, support the resource management committees and provide information or resources they might need through projects they are conducting within their villages or districts.3. What message do you have for young men and women who wish to work with communities?     Working with communities is inspirational. One gets to learn a lot of new things every day, especially the amazing culture and traditions within in the different provinces of Fiji. If you have the passion for learning, and have the patience and humbleness within you, then working with communities to find the right tool to understand and address their issues will be fun and fulfilling. Arishma Devi Mon, 20 Apr 2020 04:13:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14052 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13558/Koro-Chiefs-commit-to-island-scale-EBM.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13558 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13558&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13558/Koro-Chiefs-commit-to-island-scale-EBM.aspx This month, with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Lomaiviti Provincial Office and key Government Ministries the 14 chiefs of the 14 villages of Koro Island launched the ecosystem-based management plan (EBM). This is a first island scale EBM plan for Fiji which is an integrated approach into managing the island’s resources sustainably.Launch of the island-scale ecosystems-based management plan on Koro Island. © WCSIn endorsing the five-year plan, the chiefs have urged the communities to make every effort to ensure effective implementation of the plan. The plan was designed by the Yaubula Management Support team on the Island through the various community and stakeholder consultations were undertaken between 2015 and 2018. The plan reflects the outcomes of the Koro Island EBM management planning workshops conducted on the island with local communities and relevant government representatives. WCS, Community Engagement Coordinator, Akanisi Caginitoba, said, “the plan united the 14 villages of the island who have shown great commitment to protecting their vulnerable resources for the future.”  The management plan seeks to promote an integrated approach to enhancing the ecological value and resilience of terrestrial freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems on Koro island. EBM aims to maintain ecosystems in a healthy, productive and resilient condition so that human needs can be met in future. Local communities are key to sustaining the ecosystems and this plan seeks to address the growing challenges of Fiji's land and marine resources including the impacts of climate change.  The people of the Koro island have committed their time and expertise in abundance to support the conservation and sustainable use of the island's natural resources. The main source of income for the Koro Islanders is farming and fishing. As such, they have identified several threats to Koro Island which if unmanaged, will impact the health of terrestrial and freshwater habitats.Signing of the plan. © WCS  It has been identified that uncontrolled logging and agricultural practices have caused the loss of native plant species and increases the presence of invasive species on the Island. To address this threat, the farmers have collectively agreed to not bring in plants such as taro from outside Koro Island.  At a workshop in 2017, held at Vatulele village, it was also noted that unsustainable fishing practices such as overfishing of living resources, night spearfishing and fishing of small-sized fish posed threat to the marine ecosystem surrounding the Island.  The WCS Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai said, “Over the four years of our working here we have seen the best of what Koro Island has to offer through her people and the abundant resources both on land and in the sea.” While speaking at the launch, she also added that WCS witnessed the heartache brought about by TC Winston and how resilient the people of Koro are and how they have quickly recovered from the devastation brought by TC Winston.  According to the management plan, the communities will have restricted logging near streams, catchment areas and along the coastline. Commercial logging will only commence with approval from the respective Ministry and landowners after an environmental impact assessment.Women of Koro Island at the launch of the island-scale ecosystems-based management plan. © WCS  Additionally, the communities will establish community-based marine managed areas to counter depleting marine resources. Fish wardens of the communities will monitor the fishing activities and any breach will be reported to the Island's Yaubula Management Support Team. The plan prohibits leaving fishing nets along the mouth of streams, removing the coral, leaving nets overnight and taking of undersized fish.  As part of a longer-term initiative, the communities have also incorporated sustainable financing in the management plan which will help formulate scholarship for tertiary students and small sustainable projects within the Island.  Arishma Devi Thu, 05 Dec 2019 00:01:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13558 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13518/National-scale-marine-bioregions-for-the-Southwest-Pacific.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13518 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13518&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13518/National-scale-marine-bioregions-for-the-Southwest-Pacific.aspx Pacific nations are determined to fulfill their international commitments to conserve the ocean around them, despite the lack of data on bioregions within their countries to support their efforts. However, the current marine bioregions that cover the Pacific Ocean are at spatial scales that are too broad to support national marine spatial planning. The southwest Pacific bioregionalisation will enable the design of ecologically representative national systems of marine protected or managed areas within offshore and inshore environments in the Pacific. A diversity of authors from or supporting the Pacific region have developed the first combined oceanic and coastal marine bioregionalisation at national scales, with demarcation of 262 deep-water and 103 reef-associated bioregions across the southwest Pacific. “Bioregions” are defined areas with reasonably similar groupings of biological and physical features that do not require complete data on all species, habitats and processes. A data-driven approach has been used by the authors to identify and map the marine bioregions, differentiating between the deep-water and reef-associated bioregions. The bioregions have been reviewed by technical experts in the region to make sure they make sense. The paper titled “National-scale marine bioregions for the Southwest Pacific” which was recently published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, analyses how the new marine bioregionalisation plays a critical role in assisting the countries to develop or enhance spatial planning across the southwest Pacific. For instance, the countries can design ecologically representative systems of marine protected areas by ensuring that examples of every marine bioregion are included in the final design. The deep-water bioregions were classified with 30 environmental datasets derived from satellite or ship measurements. The reef-associated environments, required records of 806 taxa at 7369 sites to predict the probability of observing taxa based on environmental variables. Because many bioregions cut across the national jurisdictions, shared bioregions have also been determined in the study. For Fiji, a total of 23 deep-water bioregions have been identified which are all shared while out of the 12 reef-associated bioregions identified, three are shared. The authors believe that the marine bioregions make an important contribution in providing the biophysical data layer required to improve effective spatial planning across the Southwest Pacific. Coastal view from Lau. Credit: Wildlife Conservation Society. The authors of the study are Maria Beger, Hans Wendt, Jonah Sullivan, Claire Mason, Jimaima LeGrand, Kate Davey , Stacy Jupiter , Daniela M. Ceccarelli , Alex Dempsey , Graham Edgar , David A. Feary , Douglas Fenner, Marian Gauna , Hannah Grice , Sahar Noor Kirmani , Sangeeta Mangubhai , Sam Purkis, Zoe T. Richards, Randi Rotjan , Rick Stuart-Smith , Helen Sykes , Naushad Yakub , Andrew G. Bauman , Alec Hughes , Jason Raubani , Adam Lewis , Leanne Fernandes The paper can be assessed from:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110710 or by contacting the Wildlife Conservation Society directly on infofiji@wcs.org   Arishma Devi Mon, 25 Nov 2019 01:08:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13518 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13121/WCS-Melanesia-Director-named-a-2019-MacArthur-Fellow.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13121 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13121&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13121/WCS-Melanesia-Director-named-a-2019-MacArthur-Fellow.aspx The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Melanesia Director, Dr. Stacy Jupiter was named a 2019 MacArthur Fellow 2019, a recipient of a Genius Grant, today. The prestigious award is a recognition of Dr. Jupiter’s work as a marine scientist and conservationist and the innovative ways she has “integrated local cultural practices with field research to develop conservation solutions that protect both the biodiversity of coastal ecosystems and the well-being of communities that dependent on them.” One of her main focal areas of work has been to assess the effectiveness of locally-managed marine areas (LMMAs) to achieve desired outcomes that local people care about, such as food security, livelihoods and enabling cultural practice. With numerous collaborators in Fiji and abroad, Dr. Jupiter identified under which conditions LMMAs with tabu areas (fisheries closures that are periodically harvested) can be the best strategy for simultaneously maximizing the amount of fish in the water, amount of catch, and ease of fish catch over the course of a year, while allowing for customary harvesting practices. “For many years, we have been arguing that management undertaken by small-scale fishers in the Pacific Islands is more than just a niche practice,” explains Dr. Jupiter. “This work validates that conclusion, and provides legitimacy to a management tool that is incredibly important for local cultural practice in Fiji and across the Pacific.” The findings are likely to have real impacts on how people around the globe implement fisheries management so that they can have their fish in the water and eat them too. More recently, Dr. Jupiter has been pioneering an innovative research-to-action project with the WCS Fiji country program and collaborators from University of Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Ministry of Health, Fiji National University and a number of other institutions. The Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) initiative, which is working to simultaneously reduce water-related disease risk and improve ecosystem health through strategic watershed management measures, has been a decade in the making. Through this work, Dr. Jupiter is trying to galvanize local people to be better stewards of their environment by directly connecting their actions to the things people care most about – their health, food and cultural connections to the land and sea. Part of galvanizing people means using out-of-the-box thinking to inspire people to take action. Dr Jupiter uses captivating approaches such as flash mobs, comic books and puppets to help people understand the impacts of environmental changes and to reconnect them to nature. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation provides unrestricted fellowships to talented persons who have shown extraordinary innovation and commitment in their field of expertise that has brought about real change on the ground. There are three criteria for selection of Fellows: (1)   Exceptional creativity; (2)   Promise for important future advances based on a track record of significant accomplishments; (3)   Potential for the Fellowship to facilitate subsequent creative work. Although Dr. Jupiter was born in the USA, she has lived in Fiji for 11 years and is also a naturalized Fiji citizen. She supports conservation efforts in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea. She has worked across a diversity of fields including land-sea planning, ecosystem based management, locally managed marine areas, fisheries and coral reef resilience. For more information, please check out the following links: https://www.macfound.org/fellows/1041/ https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13103/WCS-Congratulates-Stacy-Jupiter-for-Being-Named-a-2019-MacArthur-Fellow-A-Recipient-of-a-Genius-Grant.aspx https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOQqUDK_Rmw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0J19B4ip_JgDGKCupZYsf1f8-C8lwHY1styjlPnHUsrn2_Av-ssnvAK0Y   Arishma Devi Fri, 27 Sep 2019 03:24:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13121 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13056/Watershed-Interventions-for-Systems-Health-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=13056 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13056&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/13056/Watershed-Interventions-for-Systems-Health-in-Fiji.aspx Healthy watersheds are fundamental to human health and well-being.In Fiji, rural communities are largely dependent on nearby water sources for consumption and other household activities. However, increasing development and poor land-management practices around watersheds can contribute to declines in water quality. Land-based impacts are particularly problematic in areas where logging is prevalent and unmanaged, and where village and urban waste management systems are rudimentary. Sediments and waste from land activities such as logging, soil and gravel extraction, litter, animal waste, unsafe agricultural practices, livestock rearing and poor sanitation often seep into waterways. This is particularly so in high island ecosystems, where there is a tight connectivity between land, rivers and the sea. There is growing evidence that poor land practices can contribute to the spread of waterborne diseases such as typhoid, leptospirosis and dengue in the tropics. For example, there are a growing number of cases of typhoid and leptospirosis associated with vegetation removal and high livestock density in Fiji. These same poor land practices also have negative impacts on downstream freshwater and marine resources on which local people rely for food, livelihoods and cultural practice. To address these issues, a large multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral project called Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) was launched in late 2018. Working across the five sub-catchments of the Bureta, Dama, Dawasamu, Waibula and Upper Navua rivers, the project focuses on targeted and integrated upstream catchment management and policy implementation to reduce the spread of disease and improve downstream ecosystem condition. The specific nature of the watershed interventions will be determined in consultation with village committees, in partnership with WISH project staff. Training will also be provided to the next generation of health systems leaders, specifically in effectively managing water resources, improving the health of people, the state of environment, and developing ecological interventions. The creation of inclusive decision-making processes with government and local communities is essential for long-term implementation. Therefore, the project will largely engage local communities and government to develop intervention plans to properly manage the watersheds. The WISH Fiji project is a partnership between the University of Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Fiji National University and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in close collaboration and partnership with the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Water Authority of Fiji, World Health Organisation (WHO), the Pacific Community (SPC) and UNICEF. The project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The activities of the project are also funded by the Tiffany & Co Foundation.  Arishma Devi Thu, 12 Sep 2019 21:55:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13056 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12824/MERMAID-A-new-tool-to-protect-coral-reefs.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=12824 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=12824&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12824/MERMAID-A-new-tool-to-protect-coral-reefs.aspx The challenge to protect our coral reefs from the impacts of overfishing, land-based human activities and climate change continues. In Fiji, coastal populations are heavily reliant on marine resources for food, and livelihoods, and contribute to the nation’s growing economy. Climate change is contributing to the deterioration of coral reef health, globally. According to a study revealed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)  on the impacts of climate change, it is predicted that by the end of this century, most of world’s coral reefs may severely bleach and die. Bleaching occurs as a result of warm ocean temperatures. There are large investments being made by concerned organisations and people to save the world’s coral reefs. However, more and more communities and decision-makers need information in “real time”, to implement effective management and action plans to improve and sustain the health of coral reefs. Until recently, data collection to better understand coral reef health and resilience has not been easy, as it is time-consuming to enter data without errors, and to provide analysis quickly to assist decision-makers. Recently, a new innovative tool called MERMAID was introduced to the marine scientists and coral reef managers to speed up that process of coral reef data collection. MERMAID — a “Marine Ecological Research Management AID” was developed through the collaboration of scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wildlife Fund and Sparkgeo. The web-based tool works both online and offline for entering and storing data as soon as it collected in the field. MERMAID has made clean and easy to analyse data accessible to coral reef managers and other scientists. Therefore, it is becoming one of the key technological tools for WCS scientists and partners to help protect coral reefs around the globe. Marine scientists of WCS in Fiji have field tested and are now using MERMAID to effortlessly to store local coral reef monitoring data. They have also been entering coral bleaching data into MERMAID to document and follow mild coral bleaching in Fiji in 2019, and produce a factsheet for decision-makers.    This project is funded by the Flora Family Foundation. Arishma Devi Tue, 23 Jul 2019 01:37:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:12824 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12485/Community-launches-management-plan-to-protect-mud-crab-fishery.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=3161&ModuleID=24942&ArticleID=12485 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=12485&PortalID=82&TabID=3161 https://fiji.wcs.org/Blog/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12485/Community-launches-management-plan-to-protect-mud-crab-fishery.aspx In Fiji, the mud crab (Scylla serrata) or qari is always in high market demand and sells at lucrative prices. Women fishers play a dominant role in the mud crab fishery in Fiji. They use traditional knowledge and techniques to catch mud crabs from within the mangroves, often with their bare hands. Unfortunately, the growing demand for mud crabs is resulting in an increase in the number of small size crabs being sold at the local markets, often through unsustainable practices. Continuous over harvesting and capturing of undersized mud crabs is resulting in declines in mud crabs in the wild in some places. Realising the need to protect their mud crab fishery, the Navunievu community (Waitabu and Tacilevu villages) in the Province of Bua, committed to a three-year Mud Crab Management Plan in 2018. The management plan was developed through community consultations and was supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Ministry of Fisheries. One of the core objectives of the plan was to train the mud crab catchers (who were primarily women) on harvesting, post-harvest fattening techniques to improve the income generated from sales at local markets.For the plan to be effective, the community agreed to comply with the legal minimum size limit of 125 mm, prohibit the catching of female berried (egg carrying) crabs and establishing a tabu area (temporal fishing closure) to build up the stocks in the mangroves. The crab catchers in Navunievu community were not only trained on harvesting techniques but provided wristbands to measure the size of each crab they caught. Undersized crabs are left in the wild to grow. Fishers were also provided logbooks to record information on their weekly catches. By complying with the restrictions in their management plan, the Navunievu community are already seeing the economic benefits – these being, improved income for their families. Mud crabs can produce a lot of young in a short time. If the community remain committed to implementing and monitoring their management plan, they should quickly see an increase in the size and number of mud crabs in their mangrove forests within 1 to 2 years.  This project is generously funded by Flora Family Foundation and David and Lucile Packard Foundation.     Arishma Devi Sat, 15 Jun 2019 05:38:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:12485