https://fiji.wcs.org RSS feeds for WCS Fiji 60 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24207/Climate-Adaptation-and-Protected-Areas-CAPA-Inception-Launch.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=24207 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24207&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24207/Climate-Adaptation-and-Protected-Areas-CAPA-Inception-Launch.aspx Approximately 12,300 people will benefit from the Climate Adaption and Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative that was launched this week at the Holiday Inn, Suva. This aims to implement nature-based solutions that respond to climate change and biodiversity impacts in Fiji. The initiative's major objective is to restore landscapes, as well as encourage community conservation areas and sustainable fishing – all of which help to keep ecosystems healthy and support community well-being. The CAPA Initiative will work in twenty communities across the provinces of Ra, Lomaiviti, Tailevu and Bua. mtabua@wcs.org Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:38:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24207 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24203/Climate-Adaptation-and-Protected-Areas-CAPA-Inception-Launch.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=24203 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24203&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24203/Climate-Adaptation-and-Protected-Areas-CAPA-Inception-Launch.aspx CAPA Initiative to boost gender-sensitive nature-based solutions for people and nature. Photo Credit: WCS-Fiji/ Milika Tabua (March 21, 2024)- Approximately 12,300 people will benefit from the Climate Adaption and Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative that was launched this week at the Holiday Inn, Suva. This aims to implement nature-based solutions that respond to climate change and biodiversity impacts in Fiji. The initiative's major objective is to restore landscapes, as well as encourage community conservation areas and sustainable fishing – all of which help to keep ecosystems healthy and support community well-being. The CAPA Initiative will work in twenty communities across the provinces of Ra, Lomaiviti, Tailevu and Bua. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Fiji Program Landscape and Watersheds Manager Akanisi Caginitoba says the implementation of this project will be done in close collaboration with government and other partners. “The primary focus of the inception workshop is to highlight the importance of collaborating with national and local authorities to support the project's implementation. To that end, we have a range of government officials who will assist us in this endeavor, as well as local communities in the various areas we will be collaborating with." WCS-Fiji is implementing this project in partnership with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), being funded through the generous support of La politique étrangère du Canada – Affaires mondiales Canada For more information on the CAPA Initiative please visit the following link: https://www.iisd.org/capa/fiji   mtabua@wcs.org Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24203 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24204/Ecosystem-Based-Adaptation-Knowledge-Exchange-Workshop.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=24204 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24204&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24204/Ecosystem-Based-Adaptation-Knowledge-Exchange-Workshop.aspx mtabua@wcs.org Thu, 03 Apr 2025 02:17:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24204 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24225/Coral-Reef-Rescue-National-Hub-Launch.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=24225 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24225&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24225/Coral-Reef-Rescue-National-Hub-Launch.aspx Fiji Launches Fiji National Hub for Coral Reef Conservation On 21 June, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), took a significant step forward in safeguarding the country's coral reefs with the official launch of the Fiji National Hub for Coral Reef Conservation or NHCRC. The event was held at the Peninsula International Hotel in Suva. Fiji boasts a wide variety of coral reef systems – including fringing, platform, pinnacles, submerged, barrier, oceanic ribbon, atolls, near-atoll, and drowned reefs covering 4,550 km2. These reefs are vital for underpinning food security and our economy – supporting both inshore fisheries and tourism. Fiji's reefs teem with life, with over 1075 species of fish calling them home. Despite their importance, these ecosystems face constant threats from climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Dr. Sivendra Michael, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, who officially launched the NHCRC, emphasized the urgent need for coordinated and comprehensive action to protect these vulnerable ecosystems. "The NHCRC represents a dynamic ecosystem of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing that will guide conservation decisions across all levels," he stated. The hub will serve as a national coordination and advisory committee consisting of experts, decision-makers, and community representatives. Dr. Michael underscored the Hub's strategic alignment with Fiji's national strategies, including the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), National Ocean Policy (NOP) 2020-2030, and the National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (NBSAP) 2020-2025. “The Fiji National Hub will play a crucial role in operationalizing these policies by facilitating knowledge exchange, building technical expertise, and supporting community-led adaptation initiatives," he explained. The NHCRC will be positioned under the National Ocean Policy Steering Committee (NOPSC) and report to the National Climate Change Coordination Committee (NCCCC). The NHCRC ensures seamless alignment with Fiji's national sustainability and climate action goals. This integrated approach ensures the Hub's activities are directly relevant to Fiji's broader development objectives. The launch event drew a diverse group of stakeholders representing various sectors. Community representatives shared their vision for the Hub as a tool for empowering local communities, emphasizing the importance of knowledge sharing, raising awareness, and providing guidance on effective management strategies. They advocated for inclusive governance that respects and integrates traditional knowledge. Dr. Michael stressed the importance of inclusivity, gender balance, and representation from diverse sectors in the Hub’s operations. "This is a Hub for all of Fiji. The Hub will comprise of representatives from every sector: CSOs, NGOs, academia, the private sector, government bodies, local communities, indigenous groups, and our international partners," he added. The NHCRC is an outcome of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Coral Reef Rescue (CRR) Project: Resilient Coral Reefs, Resilient Communities. The CRR project is aimed at strengthening capacity for the long-term survival of climate refuge coral reef ecosystems. By Neelam Bhan -ENDS-   admin_jpalmer Fri, 21 Jun 2024 03:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24225 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24223/Ecosystem-Based-Adaptation-Knowledge-Exchange-Workshop.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=24223 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24223&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24223/Ecosystem-Based-Adaptation-Knowledge-Exchange-Workshop.aspx [Suva, Fiji]- The Knowledge Exchange on Ecosystem Based Adaptation or EbA two-day workshop in Suva was hosted by the Government of Fiji in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva. Fiji is on the front line of the climate emergency. Rising sea levels and intensifying cyclones threaten coastal communities and infrastructure, while erratic weather patterns is disrupting agriculture and drinking water supplies. These impacts have the potential to devastate local economies and uproot entire communities. EbA is a cost-effective climate change solution that leverages nature's defences. By restoring and managing ecosystems these impacts can be reduced, enhancing community and economic resilience. This might include protecting and regenerating mangroves or provide buffering against coastal inundation. EbA can also help safeguard our globally significant biodiversity. The Knowledge Exchange is exploring the potential application of EbA in Fiji. It was attended by representatives from organisation that include the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, WWF, Conservation International, IISD, USP, UNOSAT, members from various project communities beneficiaries district representatives and the Ministry of Finance.                 Permanent Secretary for Environment, Dr Sivendra Michael. Guest speaker at the event, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Sivendra Michael, highlighted that EbA offers a smart and sustainable way to tackle these problems. “Since EbA uses nature-based solutions without spending much money, acting as a shield against climate issues while also helping nature and people. For example, mangroves protect coasts from storms, coral reefs give homes to sea creatures and help local fishing, and forests manage water and reduce extreme weather effects, securing water for communities,” says Dr Michael. The importance of EbA to Fiji's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) was stressed, highlighting its role in enhancing resilience to climate change through integrated approaches. It was noted that the NAP emphasized the need for sustainable management of ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs to reduce vulnerability to climate hazards. Partnerships with organizations like WCS-Fiji and IISD were highlighted as being crucial for successful implementation. WCS Fiji's efforts in on-the-ground conservation and community engagement were commended, as were IISD's contributions to policy development and knowledge sharing. Overall, EbA is seen as essential for Fiji's sustainable development and resilience-building efforts. Dr Michael stresses the need for commitment to advancing EbA for climate resilience and biodiversity conservation, highlighting collaboration and knowledge sharing as key. WCS-Fiji Landscape and Watershed Manager, Ms Akanisi Caginitoba emphasized the need to prioritize EbA for climate resilience and biodiversity in Fiji, highlighting the collective effort required to overcome climate challenges. Encouraging active involvement, urging everyone to work together towards a resilient Fiji where both people and nature thrive together.                                                                                                                     -ENDs- mtabua@wcs.org Wed, 22 May 2024 01:10:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24223 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24211/Climate-Adaptation-and-Protected-Areas-CAPA-Inception-Launch.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=24211 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=24211&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/24211/Climate-Adaptation-and-Protected-Areas-CAPA-Inception-Launch.aspx CAPA Initiative to boost gender-sensitive nature-based solutions for people and nature. Approximately 12,300 people will benefit from the Climate Adaption and Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative that was launched this week at the Holiday Inn, Suva. This aims to implement nature-based solutions that respond to climate change and biodiversity impacts in Fiji. The initiative's major objective is to restore landscapes, as well as encourage community conservation areas and sustainable fishing – all of which help to keep ecosystems healthy and support community well-being. The CAPA Initiative will work in twenty communities across  the provinces of Ra, Lomaiviti, Tailevu and Bua.                                                            The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Fiji Program Landscape and Watersheds Manager Akanisi Caginitoba says the implementation of this project will be done in close collaboration with government and other partners. “The primary focus of the inception workshop is to highlight the importance of collaborating with national and local authorities to support the project's implementation. To that end, we have a range of government officials who will assist us in this endeavor, as well as local communities in the various areas we will be collaborating with." WCS-Fiji is implementing this project in partnership with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), being funded through the generous support of La politique étrangère du Canada – Affaires mondiales Canada For more information on the CAPA Initiative please visit the following link: https://www.iisd.org/capa/fiji  Photo credit: WCS-Fiji/ Milika Tabua mtabua@wcs.org Thu, 21 Mar 2024 03:40:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:24211 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/18133/WISH-to-address--Water-Related-Disease-Risks-Climate-Resilience-and-Biodiversity.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=18133 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=18133&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/18133/WISH-to-address--Water-Related-Disease-Risks-Climate-Resilience-and-Biodiversity.aspx Through systems health and Nature-based Solutions approaches, the Watershed Interventions for  Systems Health Plus (WISH+) project, funded under the Kiwa Initiative, will deliver co-benefits for  climate resilience, biodiversity and human health and well-being.   More than 3,000 Fijians will benefit from improved watershed management under the Watershed Interventions  for Systems Health Plus (WISH+) project, which was launched today at the Holiday Inn in Suva.  Dr. Stacy Jupiter, Regional Director with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), said that WISH+, as part  of the Kiwa Initiative, will focus on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to improve resilience to climate sensitive  diseases and protect biodiversity in upstream watersheds and downstream coral reefs in the Vatu-i-Ra  seascape.  “Through WISH+, WCS and our partners from the University of Sydney and University of Queensland will  work with government and communities to reduce the incidence of water-related diseases in high risk  watersheds. Management actions will also improve access to clean water, support biodiversity conservation,  and strengthen climate resilience and livelihoods in coastal communities,” she said.  The Kiwa WISH+ regional project will be implemented at key sites in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New  Guinea and will run through June 2026.  In Fiji, project sites will be in watersheds on the islands of Vanua Levu and Ovalau. The project team will also  design tools to help design and finance portfolios of watershed interventions to optimise co-benefits for  biodiversity, climate and human well-being. About the Kiwa Initiative - The Kiwa Initiative - Nature-based Solutions (NBS) for Climate Resilience aims to build the resilience  of Pacific Island ecosystems, communities and economies to climate change through NBS by protecting, sustainably managing and restoring biodiversity. It is based on simplified access to funding for climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation actions  for local and national governments, civil society and regional organisations in Pacific Island States and Territories. The Initiative is  funded by the European Union, Agence française de développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Australia's Department of  Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). It has established partnerships  with the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Oceania Regional  Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). For more information: www.kiwainitiative.org  Photo: Kiwa WISH+ Launch group photo_Photo credit Parijata Gurdayal © Kiwa Initiative – 131022   pgurdayal@wcs.org Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:43:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:18133 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/18130/WISH-Fiji-Reduces-Water-Related-Disease-Risk-Facilitates-Access-to-Cleaner-Water.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=18130 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=18130&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/18130/WISH-Fiji-Reduces-Water-Related-Disease-Risk-Facilitates-Access-to-Cleaner-Water.aspx Through a systems approach to watershed management, the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project has provided access to cleaner quality water for over 5,000 residents and has helped reduce the risk of water-related disease in 29 communities across five watersheds in Fiji.   Over the past four years, the WISH Fiji project has worked to transform environmental and public health action from reactive to preventative, while improving systems health of coastal watersheds to maintain the integrity and buffer against water-related disease and natural disasters. This has been done by identifying common drivers associated with water-related disease risk in coastal human populations and ill health in downstream ocean ecosystems, and then reducing those risks through integrated watershed management through targeted actions operating at different scales. Through collaboration with Fiji Government and 29 communities across 5 watersheds, the WISH Fiji team implemented over 150 types of management interventions, principally related to improvements in water systems, integrated planning, land use management and waste management. These interventions have contributed to cleaner water for over 5,000 rural Fijians. Results and lessons learned from the WISH Fiji project have been showcased at a national two-day workshop, highlighting successes against national development targets achieved through multi-sectoral collaboration. Dr. Aaron Jenkins, Senior Research Fellow in Planetary Health from the University of Sydney and Edith Cowan University said that watershed condition affects the health and well-being of people and downstream ecosystems. Studies indicate that there is a higher incidence of water-related diseases like leptospirosis and typhoid within watersheds with high amounts of cleared land and higher densities of livestock accessing waterways. Studies also show that some of these same land-based activities around watersheds contribute to increased sediments and nutrients entering waterways which can have devastating impacts on freshwater and coastal coral reef ecosystems on which people depend on for food, livelihoods, and cultural practice. “WISH Fiji was designed to reduce risks to people from Fiji’s three plagues (leptospirosis, typhoid, and dengue), as well as other diarrheal diseases (collectively ‘LTDDs’), by improving overall systems health, which provides co-benefits for downstream ecosystems,” said Dr. Jenkins. WISH Fiji Project Manager, Timoci Naivalulevu from Fiji National University added, “In addition to reducing the risk of water-related disease, we focused on enabling communities to realise their fundamental right to clean water, while strengthening peoples’ connection to their lands and sea. To do this, we worked with a large number of partners across multiple sectors including the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Forests, Ministry of Environment and Waterways, Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Water Authority of Fiji.” WISH Fiji was implemented by University of Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Fiji National University and the Wildlife Conservation Society and was funded by the Australian Government’s Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security and Bloomberg Philanthropies' Vibrant Oceans Initiative.   pgurdayal@wcs.org Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:31:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:18130 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/17618/Vatu-i-Ra-Conservation-Parks-monitoring-and-surveillance-strengthened-with-support-from-WCS-and-IUCN.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=17618 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=17618&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/17618/Vatu-i-Ra-Conservation-Parks-monitoring-and-surveillance-strengthened-with-support-from-WCS-and-IUCN.aspx The coastal communities of the Nakorotubu District in Ra Province now have ten fish wardens and a patrol boat to help monitor and safeguard Fiji’s largest conservation park, established as a partnership between local communities and tourism operators.    pgurdayal@wcs.org Thu, 02 Jun 2022 02:32:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:17618 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/17581/Traditional-leaders-of-Ovalau-launch-an-island-scale-plan-to-manage-resources-sustainably.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=17581 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=17581&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/17581/Traditional-leaders-of-Ovalau-launch-an-island-scale-plan-to-manage-resources-sustainably.aspx With support from WCS, an entire island, with a population of about 9,000, has come together to commit to an integrated approach of natural resource management where the cumulative impact of human activities will be managed with the aim of balancing sustainable development with biodiversity protection. pgurdayal@wcs.org Fri, 27 May 2022 03:50:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:17581 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/16057/Tropical-cyclone-Winston-damages-coral-reef-habitat-but-spares-most-fish-species.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=16057 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=16057&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/16057/Tropical-cyclone-Winston-damages-coral-reef-habitat-but-spares-most-fish-species.aspx Tropical cyclones are one of the most destructive natural disturbances to coral reef ecosystems. Severe cyclones can have serious implications for the food availability, security and income of coastal communities in tropical regions. A study titled “Responses of benthic habitat and fish to severe tropical cyclone Winston in Fiji” has revealed that despite the large amount of damage caused to corals, minimal impacts were observed on fish communities. The study by researchers from Curtin University, Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) appears in the latest edition of the journal Coral Reefs. Cyclones commonly occur throughout the tropical regions and have historically been a natural regulator for coral diversity on reef ecosystems. However, with climate change more cyclones are expected to reach the highest categories, which has the potential to cause greater damage to coral reef ecosystems, impacting coastal communities which rely on reef resources for food and livelihoods. Cyclone Winston passed through Fiji on the 20 February 2016 and at the time was one of the most severe and devasting cyclones to occur in the Southern Hemisphere. To find out the extent of damage caused by cyclone Winston coral reef surveys were done on reefs in Kubulau and Levuka districts in Fiji. Researchers used specialised underwater camera systems (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCGb_kfeGqI&ab_channel=MethodsEcolEvol) to count, measure and identify fish and coral communities after cyclone Winston and compare it to fish and coral data collected pre-cyclone.  Lead author Brae Price explains “The results showed that damage to coral communities was much worse in Levuka compared to Kubulau, due to cyclone generated waves being larger and lasting longer in Levuka. Waves in Levuka reached a massive 14.37 m and were greater than 9 m high for ~8 hours compared to 9.39 m which lasted for ~1 hour in Kubulau.”  He further added “Despite the severe damage to live coral, fish communities were not impacted heavily. Only corallivorous fish which rely on live coral for food showed some declines, and this was limited to survey sites where the most coral damage occurred. However, a number of the reefs we surveyed were relatively healthy, which may have buffered from the effects of the cyclones compared to other locations”.  Cyclones are unpredictable and devastating natural disturbances which makes it hard to predict where or how much damage a cyclone will cause. Through research on cyclones of different categories occurring in different areas, scientists are starting to unravel the true impacts that these disturbances are having on coral reef ecosystems.  WCS Fiji Country Director Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai added “we have managed to return to Kubulau in 2020 and are delighted to report that coral communities have bounced back in community tabu areas, like the Namena Marine Reserve, and were spared damage from the more recent 2020 Cyclone Yasa. The work by Brae is critical for us to understand the impacts to coral reef systems – it is important more than ever that we look after our coral reefs so that can resist or bounce back quickly from cyclones and other disturbances.”* * *  The authors of the study are: Brae Price, Euan Harvey and Benjamin Saunders of Curtin University, Sangeeta Mangubhai of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Maji Puotinen of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and Jordan Goetze of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.  This research was supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Curtin University, and funded by a National Geographic Society early career grant (Grant No. EC-183C-18) to the lead author. admin_jpalmer Thu, 15 Apr 2021 21:24:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:16057 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/16027/Renewing-Partnership-to-Enhance-Conservation-Efforts-in-the-Country.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=16027 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=16027&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/16027/Renewing-Partnership-to-Enhance-Conservation-Efforts-in-the-Country.aspx The iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) has renewed its partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society’s Fiji Country Program (WCS Fiji) in an effort to enhance natural resource management, working closely with communities in Fiji. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between WCS Fiji and the iTaukei Land Trust Board. The agreement signifies the commitment of the two organizations to sustainably manage and protect Fiji’s precious biodiversity and terrestrial natural resources in ways that will provide benefits in return to the communities. While signing the MoU, Dr Mangubhai said, that the partnership provided a foundation for WCS Fiji to work collectively with TLTB to further explore opportunities to establish conservation leases in Fiji, in partnership with local landowners. In 2018, through similar partnership with TLTB, WCS Fiji had successfully secured a conservation lease for the nationally significant, highly biodiverse Kilaka Forest which is situated in the District of Kubulau in Bua Province on Vanua Levu.  “Our work with iTLTB focused largely around setting up a conservation lease for Kilaka Forest to support landowners with their aspirations to protect their forest for its unique biodiversity, and the ecosystem services it provided including traditional medicine, clean water and healthy watersheds.” “We know this model works, and are grateful to have the opportunity to work with TLTB again to look at how we can expand this work to cover other national priority areas for Fiji, in close partnership with local landowners and key government ministries,” Dr Mangubhai highlighted. Additionally, by implementing projects through this MoU partnership, WCS Fiji and iTLTB aim at optimizing benefits for the landowners in terms of incentives, revenue and sustained natural resources. The TLTB Chief Executive Officer Tevita Kuruvakadua said that TLTB as administrator of about 90% of Fiji’s landmass has an important responsibility of properly managing our resources, especially our forest ecosystems. Currently, TLTB has been encouraging and having ongoing negotiations with various land owning units around Fiji on leasing portions of their lands, particularly within degraded and deforested areas, for conservation purposes. The conservation initiatives are also in line with national Redd+ and emission reduction targets, as well as Fiji’s 30 million trees campaign by 2035. Mr Kuruvakadua reinforced the message that their core business of sustainable development and wealth creation also required that they protect the interests of the landowners and stakeholders. “As custodians for our landowners’ resources, we continue to look for the most innovative and sustainable processes to deliver resilient estate land management services to all our customers”, he said. “Amongst these are the dialogues with key stakeholders on how best to offer alternative livelihoods, access benefits from payment of ecosystem services and improve quality of life for our landowners who are releasing lands for conservation purposes”. smangubhai@wcs.org Mon, 12 Apr 2021 03:38:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:16027 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15918/WCS-strengthens-partnership-with-Ministry-of-Agriculture.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15918 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15918&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15918/WCS-strengthens-partnership-with-Ministry-of-Agriculture.aspx On 17 March 2021, the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program (WCS Fiji) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture to collectively advance and promote the sustainable agricultural practices and wise land-use planning as integral components of social and economic development in Fiji. The agreement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ritesh Dass and the WCS Fiji Country Program Director Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters in Raiwaqa, Suva.The Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture, Ritesh Dass and the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai sign the Memorandum of Understanding. ©Arishma Devi/WCS The partnership serves as a significant platform for WCS Fiji to work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture on its latest multi-stakeholder project - Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji). The WISH Fiji project aims to work with 29 communities across Bureta (on Ovalau Island), Dama (Bua Province), Dawasamu and Waibula (Tailevu Province) and Upper Navua (Namosi Province) sub-catchments to implement a range of interventions focused on water and sanitation storage, infrastructure and maintenance, hygiene, agriculture and best land-use practices. These interventions are aimed at promoting wise environmental practices to enable healthier and well-functioning ecosystems which can further contribute to the good health of the people. During the official signing of the agreement, Mr Dass said, “It’s an opportune time for agencies to collaborate and derive synergies in areas of mutual interest and today marks the beginning of that collaboration through which we can reach our collective desired objectives. “In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the WCS will work closely with our Land Use Division for sustainable land-use, education and training, Conservation Agricultural planning and soil health management, and climate change adaptation programs,” Mr Dass said.The staff and senior executives of Wildlife Conservation Society and the Ministry of Agriculture after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding  in Suva. ©Arishma Devi/WCS On this occasion, Dr Mangubhai said WCS Fiji was looking to take the WISH Fiji project forward with the Ministry. She added that both agencies had goals that were closely aligned and while the event today was about natural resource management it was also important to think about economic development, how to support livelihoods, and food security for the local people. The WCS Melanesia Director, Dr Stacy Jupiter, welcomed the opportunity to expand the collaboration to work across the sub-catchments with the WISH Fiji project and beyond over the next few years. Dr Jupiter said, “The interventions that we are trying to put in place in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture is not just to improve downstream water quality, it is also to try and improve soil conservation which will ultimately increase the productivity of agriculture to support the food security across Fiji.” This WISH Fiji project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. 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. adevi@wcs.org Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15918 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15868/Women-must-be-counted.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15868 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15868&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15868/Women-must-be-counted.aspx -Study finds that counting women fishers’ contributions is critical to sustainable fisheries management -Addressing gaps in accounting on these contributions is crucial to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals-A largely Fijian research team published core findings on women in fisheries in Fiji, within Ocean and Coastal Management Ocean and Coastal Management in Women’s History MonthWomen fishing. ©Sangeeta Mangubhai/WCS A new study highlights that women fishers’ contributions to small scale fisheries have been undercounted leading to uninformed small-scale fisheries (SSF) policies and management. Reversing these shortcomings will be crucial to meeting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development) and Goal 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls).Publishing their results in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management, a largely Fijian research team of authors include: Alyssa Thomas, Sangeeta Mangubhai, Waisea Naisilisili, and Margaret Fox of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS); Semisi Meo of Conservation International; Katy Miller of the Vatuvara Foundation; Joeli Veitayaki of the University of the South Pacific, Alafua Campus; Salote Waqairatu of Conservation International and the University of the Sunshine Coast.The authors looked at the role of indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) women in small-scale fisheries. They found that women fishers provide critical contributions to their household food security via three pathways: (1) the direct nutritional value of fish; (2) increased purchasing power (and thus a source of income) from selling fish and invertebrates; and (3) an improved economic status.However, their substantial contributions from harvesting both fish and invertebrates are not included in most official statistics, and therefore are overlooked and continue to be invisible, ignored and unrecognized in fisheries management and policy development.According to the study’s second lead author Sangeeta Mangubhai of WCS: “Empowering women for full participation in fisheries and lifting them out of poverty requires a re-consideration of traditional gender norms in rural communities, which are already shifting and evolving. These changes can help ensure that women fishers and their contributions are visible, acknowledged and recognized.”The authors say that sustainable management of SSF will require the collection of sex-disaggregated data, in order for women's catches to be counted and included in all statistics. More information about the volume and sizes of fish and invertebrates harvested by the women would assist in the sustainable management of key species. Women fishers also need greater participation in management decisions and policies, especially for the habitats where they are the main users (e.g. mangroves and mudflats).Globally, women account for an annual catch of ~2.9 million tons of seafood a year and an estimated 2.1 million women participate in SSF. However, women fishers’ contributions to national economies have routinely been overlooked due to their dominance in the informal economy, which is normally unrecorded and missing from official statistics.The long-term sustainable management of fisheries is necessary for food security, livelihoods and poverty alleviation. admin_jpalmer Wed, 03 Mar 2021 23:32:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15868 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15783/WISH-Fiji-prepares-MoHMS-staff-for-water-quality-assessment-post-TC-Yasa.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15783 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15783&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15783/WISH-Fiji-prepares-MoHMS-staff-for-water-quality-assessment-post-TC-Yasa.aspx Access to clean drinking water is critical to public health. Natural disasters such as flooding and cyclones often reduce the ​quality of drinking water. Heavy rain and flooding can cause contamination of water from livestock waste, human sewage, harmful chemicals and fertilisers. Once contaminated, drinking water can become a hazard to human health and efficiently transmit deadly waterborne diseases such as typhoid fever and leptospirosis, and also cause diarrhea. Standing water that pools after flooding also becomes a breeding ground for mosquitos and can increase the occurrence of diseases transmitted by these insects, such as dengue fever.On 17 December 2020, Category Five Tropical Cyclone (TC) Yasa made landfall with heavy rain and strong winds up to 250 kph in Fiji’s Northern Division, leaving behind a massive trail of destruction for residents of the province of Bua. The cyclone damaged the homes, schools and other community buildings and the livelihoods of people. Many communities also suffered damage to critical water and sanitation infrastructure, which can lead to poor health if left unattended, including outbreaks of water-related diseases.In support of the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) to strengthen water quality assessment capacity in communities post natural disasters, the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) conducted a five-day refresher training for the health inspectors in Northern Division. The training is part of the project’s collaborative response to protect public health post-TC Yasa, building the knowledge and skills of the participants in conducting water quality tests in remote communities with the efficient use of Wagtech Potalab. The Wagtech Potalab is the advance portable laboratory that allows efficient water quality assessments in the rural and remote areas.The participants learn how to conduct chemical and microbiological (bacteria) tests with the use of the portable laboratory kits to:determine if the drinking water is safe for consumption;identify sources of contamination; and​recommend interventions to reduce the risks of water-related disease in the affected communities.WISH Fiji project manager Timoci Naivalulevu said, “As partners in the arena of public and environmental health, it is our responsibility to ensure that drinking water is not only available to the communities, but is safe for consumption and does not prompt waterborne diseases especially after disasters.”“For instance, several communities in Bua Province are already recognized as hotspots for leptospirosis, typhoid, dengue and diarrhea (LTDDs) after TC Yasa. The water quality assessments are critical to ensure that the risks of disease transmission are detected quickly, so we can enact preventive measures.,” he added. The five divisional health inspectors will prioritise these ​high-risk areas to conduct water quality assessments after the training.The MoHMS Macuata Sub-Division Health Inspector, Pranit Kapoor said, “It is important to add water quality analysis to our water sampling work. This enables us to make quicker decisions on what interventions are needed in high priority communities. We can also develop water quality profiles for high risk communities within the sub-divisions.” During the last two days of the training, the participants conducted water assessments in the six communities in Dama District in Bua Province. The WISH Fiji project has spent over a year working with communities in Dama and four other watersheds to identify the factors that are contributing to water-related diseases and affecting human health and the many services provided by the environment. Since then, the WISH Fiji, through its Water Safety and Security Planning workshops has identified multiple interventions that will be implemented to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure and wisely manage human activities within their village and watershed environments to help reduce the transmission of water-related diseases. WISH Fiji has so far completed two water infrastructure interventions in Tavulomo Village in Dama District in Bua Province and Bureta District on Ovalau Island in Lomaiviti Province – as a result these communities have access to water.Ministry of Health and Medical Services Northern Division Health Inspectors with the WISH Fiji staff  after completing the water quality assessment training in Labasa. © WISH Fiji This project is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Vibrant Oceans Initiative and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security. adevi@wcs.org Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15783 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15766/New-dam-and-collection-box-to-improve-water-quality-and-supply-in-Bureta.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15766 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15766&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15766/New-dam-and-collection-box-to-improve-water-quality-and-supply-in-Bureta.aspx A newly constructed dam in Bureta District in Ovalau Island in the Province of Lomaiviti will improve the quality and supply of water for at least 350 people. The new dam will serve fresh water to three villages, a settlement, the Bureta Airstrip, the local health center and a primary school. For past three years, the water supplied from an existing old dam that served the villages through the reservoir was insufficient. This was mainly due to a leakage in the dam and the use of single distribution pipe to supply water to the villages.Villagers from Bureta District get together to built the new dam and the collection box. ©WCS/Bruce SouthwickWith support from the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project, the Lomaiviti Provincial Office, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the villagers of Naviteitei, Nasaga and Tai collaborated to build a new dam in December. The new dam which is situated approximately 20 metres above the old one, includes a sedimentation chamber and a collection box to trap sediments before the water is piped to the reservoir through a new distribution pipe down to three villages, the airstrip, health center and the school. Additional repair work was conducted in the reservoir by engineers from the Water Authority of Fiji.Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) WISH Fiji project manager, Dr. Andrew Tukana said the construction was made possible with sturdy teamwork and the effort displayed by the villagers and their leaders. “It was a tedious task where the villagers had to carry the building materials and tools at least 45 minutes uphill to the site of the new dam. But through their hard work and determination the construction was completed in a week,” Dr. Tukana said. He added that both, the new and old dam will be used to cater for the water demand in the whole district. The new dam construction was a part of WISH Fiji’s commitment to implement active ecological restoration and waste management interventions identified by the villages.The villagers constructing the collection box and sedimentation chamber. ©WCS/Bruce SouthwickWCS Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai, said “WISH Fiji has identified several interventions in 29 communities where we work and we will be rolling this out in early 2021 with to help improve water and sanitation infrastructure, and human activities that affect environmental and human health,” Dr. Mangubhai stated.The newly constructed dam with the sedimentation chamber and the collection box in Bureta District. ©Mereia Ravoka/WCSThe WISH Fiji project which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 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. adevi@wcs.org Mon, 01 Feb 2021 03:25:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15766 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15763/Village-water-supply-restored-after-borehole-rehabilitation.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15763 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15763&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15763/Village-water-supply-restored-after-borehole-rehabilitation.aspx The repairing of a borehole in Tavulomo Village in the district of Dama in Bua Province has brought water to more than 180 people. In April 2020, the solar pump was damaged and stopped delivering water from the borehole to the 37 households in Tavulomo Village. Since then, the villages relied on the limited and restricted water supply from the neighbouring village in the district.In November, the villagers with support from the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project, Fiji’s Mineral Resources Department, the Bua Provincial Administrator’s Office, Bua Provincial Council Office and village-level Water and Sanitation Committee, repaired their broken solar pump and restored their primary source of water. Repairing work in progress at the Tavulomo Village borehole in Dama District, Bua Province. ©Eferemo Kubunavanua/WCSThe village headman (Turaga ni Koro), Kelemedi Bitu said during this period, the village experienced inadequate supply of water which affected them daily.“Without sufficient water, our lives were very hard,” Mr Beti said. He described the problems that the broken borehole pump had on the whole community. Prior to receiving the water supply from Nasau Village, the villagers depended on rain and river water for drinking and other household activities.“With consent from Nasau Village, we connected a pipe from their water source to our Rota tanks that served the individual households. However, the village had to wait for certain periods during the day to access water and even experience disruptions due to debris clogging the pipe that supplied water from Nasau,” Mr Beti explained.Repairing the borehole pump at Tavulomo Village in Dama District in Bua Province. ©Eferemo Kubunavanua/WCSAdditionally, “during the dry periods, both villages experienced low water supply due to the increase in the number of people using the single water source and we had to resort to using river water too.”Mr Beti said the villagers were grateful to WISH Fiji for the timely assistance, especially as the Christmas and holiday period approaches.Wildlife Conservation Society WISH Fiji Project Manager, Dr. Andrew Tukana said the rehabilitation effort was part of the project to work with local communities and relevant government authorities to implement ecological, water and waste management interventions identified by village water committees to reduce the incidences of waterborne diseases such as leptospirosis, dengue and typhoid.“The work reflects on the project’s objectives which was to ensure a safe and reliable supply of water for the village, which in turn was expected to improve health and livelihoods for the people. The intervention was critical for the village because the people needed easily accessible and sufficient water to continue with their daily lives and ensure good health,” Dr. Tukana explained. Dr Tukana added the expert staff from the Mineral Resource Department cleaned the borehole by flushing out the sediment, stagnant water and debris before repairing the pump.The WISH Fiji project which is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, aims to achieve reduction in the incidence of water-borne diseases − typhoid, dengue, leptospirosis − by developing and testing real-time mobile tools to optimise water, sanitation and catchment management and training cross-sectoral teams to improve outbreak response. adevi@wcs.org Mon, 01 Feb 2021 02:53:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15763 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15026/Research-Expedition-to-Assess-Coral-Reef-Health-and-Recovery-from-Tropical-Cyclone-Winston.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=15026 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15026&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/15026/Research-Expedition-to-Assess-Coral-Reef-Health-and-Recovery-from-Tropical-Cyclone-Winston.aspx A week long mission aboard the Nai’a Fiji Cruises to survey coral reef ecosystems in the Namena Marine Reserve and Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park. A recent expedition to Fiji’s largest two community protected areas, Namena Marine Reserve (88 km2) and Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park (110.5 km2), shows that they are making an incredible recovery from the impact of a tropical cyclone in 2016.                    Coral recruits ©Tom Vierus/WCSThe Namena Marine Reserve and Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park are exceptional places, as they cover full reef ecosystems including small islands, passages, deep reefs and ocean and shallow reefs and slopes. Collectively, both make up almost 80 percent of the area in Fiji protected by local communities in partnership with the tourism industry, and supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Fiji Country Program (WCS Fiji). On 21 September 2020, a team of 10 Fiji-based marine scientists, led by WCS Fiji, set sail for a five-day expedition to assess the overall health of coral reefs. The team assessed 28 sites in and around the two marine parks, as well as within and adjacent to a number of tabu areas closer to villages that have been established by communities for food security and local livelihoods.                    Team of marine scientists pose for a photo underwater.  ©Tom Vierus/WCS The focus of the expedition was to record any changes to the reefs since arrival of Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Winston in February 2016. The cyclone’s 233 kilometer per hour winds and storm-surge induced waves damaged the two reef systems and communities that depend on them for food and livelihoods. The reefs surveyed during the recent 2020 expedition were then compared with rapid assessments that WCS Fiji scientists conducted shortly after the cyclone in 2016. WCS Fiji Country Program Director and expedition leader Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai said, “We saw large areas of reef covered by branching corals all roughly the same size and likely to be around four years in age. These new corals are covering surfaces and are providing new habitat for fish.” Yashika Nand, the WCS Fiji Science Coordinator, explained, “This new coral re-growth shows how quickly many of the reefs have healed since 2016 when we recorded extensive coral breakage, coral abrasion, overturned coral colonies, structural damage to the reef framework and high sedimentation.” Though she noted that other reef areas that were flattened to rubble fields will take much longer to recover.                     WCS marine scientist Yashika Nand surveys the health of corals. ©Tom Vierus/WCS  WCS Melanesia Director, Dr. Stacy Jupiter, said, “At a period in history where every day we are seeing bad news in the papers and on television, this is a good news story. Our Fiji reefs are showing that they are stronger than Winston. That said, it is important not to take reef management for granted, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, as such areas need continuing protection to encourage their recovery.” WCS Fiji has been monitoring the Namena Marine Reserve since 2009 and the Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park since 2013. The results of the expedition will be shared with the Kubulau Resource Management Committee and the Vatu-i-Ra Management Committee that oversee the management of these two areas. The data from this work will help policy-makers and local resource managers to make informed decisions about the sustainable use and management of coral reefs in Fiji.                         admin_jpalmer Thu, 08 Oct 2020 02:50:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15026 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14879/Fijis-first-community-led-sea-cucumber-management-plan-launched-in-Natuvu-village.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14879 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14879&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14879/Fijis-first-community-led-sea-cucumber-management-plan-launched-in-Natuvu-village.aspx The sea cucumber fishery is an important source of income for the people of Natuvu village in the District of Wailevu in Cakaudrove Province on Vanua Levu. Of the 30 sea cucumber species present in Fiji, 14 are most valuable to the fishers of Natuvu. However, the rapidly declining fishery and its inconsistent prices have concerned the villagers over time. Therefore, to ensure the continuity of their livelihood for generations, the people of Natuvu village have committed to putting the right management measures in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of their sea cucumber fishery. As such, the country’s first community sea cucumber management plan was officially launched at Natuvu village today (3 September 2020). Sea cucumber in the waters of Natuvu village. ©Arishma Devi/WCS The management plan was developed by the Natuvu villagers and their traditional leaders with support from the Ministry of Fisheries and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) through several consultations between 2016 and 2019. The plan aims to address the social, economic, and ecological issues associated with harvesting and processing of the fishery which were identified by men and women fishers during the consultations. One of the key problems highlighted by the villagers during the consultations was the lack of consistency in the prices for processed sea cucumbers, declining population of the sea cucumbers and a lack of knowledge regarding post-harvesting processing practices for different species to ensure product quality. The people of Natuvu village, their traditional leaders with the Commissioner Northern Uraia Rainima (sitting left) and the Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai at the launch of the sea cucumber management plan 2020-2024. ©Arishma Devi/WCS By putting in place a management plan, the community are being proactive so that in the future, once stocks recover nationally and harvesting is allowed again, Natuvu village will be in strong position to reap the benefits in a sustainable way. The Commissioner Northern, Uraia Rainima expressed his gratitude to the people of Natuvu and their leaders for their support towards developing and implementing the plan for the benefit of the sea cucumber fishers. Recalling how the fundraising through sea cucumber fishery contributed to the building of the village’s first secondary school and their community hall, a decade ago, Mr Rainima said, “even without the management plan, you (the villagers) were able to achieve so much from the fishery, so imagine how much you can achieve with the management plan in place, should the ban on the fishery lift.” Between 2008 and 2017, Natuvu villagers opted to periodically harvesting the sea cucumbers in their waters to ensure its sustainability. As part of the plan, the villagers will adhere to the recommended size limits for harvesting the sea cucumbers and will receive training on post-harvest processing of sea cucumbers. Additionally, two fish wardens will receive training to ensure fishers comply with the rules in the management plan.  The implementation and enforcement of the plan will be monitored by the Natuvu Development Committee.Natuvu villagers during the launch.  There is a long tradition of sea cucumber harvesting in Fiji for Asian markets. In the 19th century sea cucumber trade became Fiji’s major export earner which also contributed to the significant over-exploitation of the fishery. However, since 2015, the Ministry of Fisheries has been working closely with the WCS on the health of sea cucumber stocks and to put in place management measures to assist in the recovery of this severely depleted fishery. Multiple scientific studies and assessments undertaken up to 2017 had showed how decimated stocks were, and that without any management intervention, many sea cucumber species would become locally extinct. To ensure the recovery of the fishery and safeguard the long-term livelihoods for local communities and businesses, a ban (or moratorium) was placed on the exporting and sale of all sea cucumber species from late 2017 and remains in force today. This issue of depleted stocks and use of moratorium for this fishery is not unique to Fiji, and has been experienced by most Pacific Island countries. Moratoria are not a preferred management intervention for any management agency, but are often used when a fishery has gone past a tipping point, the fishery will not recover unless there is a cessation of harvesting. Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr Sangeeta Mangubhai said “the recovery and wise management of fisheries resources do not just lie with the government. Throughout Fiji, the sea cucumber fishery has been an important source of income for coastal communities, especially in rural areas. Communities such as Natuvu village know all too well how valuable this resource is to them.” adevi@wcs.org Thu, 03 Sep 2020 23:23:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14879 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14655/4-WISH-Fiji-staff-pioneer-FNUs-degree-by-research.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14655 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14655&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14655/4-WISH-Fiji-staff-pioneer-FNUs-degree-by-research.aspx Four staff with the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project are among the pioneers to undertake a Higher Education Degree by Research (HDR) at the Fiji National University (FNU). FNU’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) officially launched its HDR programme in July this year. As part of the capacity building and development program, the staff are awarded the scholarship through WISH Fiji project funded by Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to pursue their Masters Degree by Research in Health Sciences, Post Graduate studies and Bachelors Degree. The students are expected to complete their research under the expert guidance from health researchers from FNU and from the WISH Fiji lead researchers from Australia. WISH Fiji staff have selected Masters research topics that focus on public health in the areas of data management, laboratory diagnostic capacity, drinking water policy and ecological transmission of leptospirosis, typhoid and dengue fever (LTD).                                       Masters students' Timoci Naivalulevu, Shayal Sami and Shylett Anthony. ©WISH Fiji WISH Fiji Data Manager Shayal Sami, said, “Being part of WISH Fiji project has actually given me the opportunity to participate in the higher degree research program at FNU. My research looks at system strengthening to identify ways for LTD data integration in Fiji.” Ms Sami elucidated that the research topics selected by the WISH Fiji staff were inspiring and would examine the wider scope of health. WISH Fiji Catchment Coordinator, Vilisi Naivalulevu, said, “I hope that my research will add value to the important work that the WISH Fiji project is doing. Public health is a new field for me as I come from a resource management background.”         Ms Naivalulevu will study transmission pathways of leptospirosis. She will evaluate the various factors that influence transmission and evaluate how the risk factor analysis from the WISH project will help to address leptospirosis in the communities we work in.                                   Masters student, Vilisi Naivalulevu (right) with colleagues and staff of Fiji National University WISH Fiji Senior Water Laboratory Technician, Shylett Anthony said she was still in a learning phase. Ms Anthony’s research focuses on building diagnostic capacity in Fiji’s health sector. “My research concentrates on examining molecular methods for the detection of pathogens in the environment, specifically targeting Salmonella typhi, a causative pathogen for typhoid,” Ms Anthony highlighted. WISH Fiji Catchment Coordinator Timoci Naivalulevu, says, “Most communities in Fiji are dependent on surface water for consumption. With my research, I am determined to improve the standard and quality of rural drinking water in Fiji.”  adevi@wcs.org Thu, 30 Jul 2020 03:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14655 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14276/WISH-Fiji-joins-Health-Ministry-in-fight-against-LTDD-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14276 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14276&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14276/WISH-Fiji-joins-Health-Ministry-in-fight-against-LTDD-in-Fiji.aspx The staff of Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project joined the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) to clean the premises of St. Giles Hospital in Reservoir Road, Suva, yesterday.                                                                                     Keeping the waterways clear. © WISH Fiji The initiative was part of MoHMS’s door-to-door 'LTDD Campaign’ across the country to combat the spread of leptospirosis, typhoid, dengue and diarrhoea. Fiji has recorded a sudden spike in the number of cases of dengue, leptospirosis and typhoid after Tropical Cyclone Harold that passed through Fiji in April 2020. As of May 25, 2020, Fiji has recorded 1,146 confirmed cases of LTDD and seven deaths. Of these confirmed cases, 278 are leptospirosis, 77 are typhoid and 791 are dengue, with a majority recorded in the Central Division.WISH Fiji staff with Fiji Center for Communicable Disease Control (FCCDC) at Mataika House. © WISH FijiThe WISH Fiji project catchment coordinator and supervisor, Timoci Naivalulevu, said that the campaign was essential to highlight the need for clean and safe environment. The team was composed of staff from the Fiji Center for Communicable Disease Control (FCCDC) at Mataika House and the WISH Fiji project. “By keeping our homes and surrounding clean, we can terminate the breeding grounds for the germs or bacteria that carry these diseases,” Mr Naivalulevu said. He added, “The increase in the number of dengue cases is a clear indication that mosquitoes have found stagnant waters to breed in. Therefore, we need to look around our houses and communities and clear any unused or unclean water stored in open containers, tanks, blocked drains, and tyres.”  WISH Fiji team members cleaning the compound with the staff of St. Giles and FCCDC. © WISH Fiji The staff of WISH Fiji are also urging the public to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation habits, which include washing hands with soap and water after using toilets and before eating food. The WISH Fiji project focuses on watershed management and policy implementation to reduce the spread of the waterborne diseases common to Fiji, such as dengue fever, leptospirosis and typhoid. adevi@wcs.org Thu, 28 May 2020 22:04:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14276 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14211/Strong-sharing-networks-can-help-communities-rebound-from-crises.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=14211 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=14211&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/14211/Strong-sharing-networks-can-help-communities-rebound-from-crises.aspx Of the top five countries in the world most at risk to disasters, three are Pacific Island nations. Yet, Pacific Islanders time and again exhibit marked abilities to quickly recover. Part of the reason may be due to strong social networks that help to distribute resources to those most in need. A new study published in the journal Coastal Management by researchers from the University of Hawaiʿi, National Geographic Society and the Wildlife Conservation Society has found that sharing is stronger in more remote communities in Fiji. These communities were also associated with greater levels of fishing. By contrast, communities on the main island, with greater infrastructure and markets, had more fractured social networks and were more likely to share cash and purchased goods than natural resources.Fishermen with their fishing gears. ©Emily Darling  Says Dr. Rachel Dacks, lead author of the study, “One important finding was that use of gillnets and spearfishing at night were the two fishing practices most associated with sharing marine resources. These practices have the potential to bring in large volumes of catch very efficiently, which enables the sharing practices that bring Pacific Island communities together. However, excessive use of these gears is causing concern for coral reef fish populations due to overexploitation and habitat damage.” These results are timely given that many Pacific Island nations, including Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Tonga, have just been hit by a double-whammy of severe economic shocks brought on by national restrictions associated with COVID-19 and then large-scale destruction from the late season, category five Tropical Cyclone Harold. “We are already hearing anecdotal reports of poaching within nationally recognized marine protected areas and lifting of local management rules in customary fishing grounds that were put in place to improve sustainability of fish stocks,” reports Dr. Stacy Jupiter, Melanesia Regional Director with the Wildlife Conservation Society, based in Fiji. “With few other alternatives, people are harvesting what they can from the reef and sharing it with their family and neighbours, as is custom, to ensure community survival.”        Fishers prepare for fishing. ©Rachel Dacks  So, what does this mean for community and coral reef resilience in the face of such turbulent times?Dr. Alan Friedlander, Chief Scientist for National Geographic’s Pristine Seas Project, explains, “In the short-term, harvest and distribution of fisheries resources is going to be essential to enable people who have lost their homes and jobs to survive, and this needs to be a priority. However, getting information out to communities to fish sustainably and avoid using small-mesh gillnets and target larger reproductively mature fishes will be key to ensure that the current fishing free-for-all does not do irreversible harm to fish populations, which ultimately would will leave people hungry in the future.” The authors of the study are: Rachel Dacks and Tamara Ticktin of University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, Stacy Jupiter of the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Alan Friedlander of the National Geographic Society. This study was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Research Award to the lead author. admin_jpalmer Sun, 17 May 2020 23:30:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:14211 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13925/Baseline-data-helping-to-identify-priority-issues-in-five-sub-catchments-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=13925 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13925&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13925/Baseline-data-helping-to-identify-priority-issues-in-five-sub-catchments-in-Fiji.aspx Outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as dengue fever, typhoid and leptospirosis are common in Fiji. Since 2005, there has been at least 20 reported cases of typhoid, a 27,000 case dengue outbreak between 2013 to 2014 and a three-fold increase in leptospirosis cases since Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016. The Watershed Interventions for System Health in Fiji (WISH Fiji) project is helping to better understand drivers of these diseases within Fiji’s watersheds, and working with local communities and government to reduce disease risk, which will also have co-benefits for downstream water quality and coral health. Watersheds are defined by the area or ridge of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas. In February, WISH Fiji project staff and partners met for a four-day mid-term review workshop. The objective of the workshop was to reflect on the achievements so far and plan the next phases of the project. WISH Fiji mid-term review workshop participants. © WISH Fiji/WCSThe participants shared and discussed results from the project’s baseline survey from the five target sub-catchments. Results of the baseline survey from the project’s five target watersheds suggested a number of areas for attention to reduce incidences of waterborne diseases. These disease risks will be shared with communities, provincial offices and relevant government partners in the upcoming months. At the watershed scale, the project identified risk factors driven by development activities which affect the ability of forests, streams and wetlands to provide natural flood control and water purification functions. At the community scale, water and sanitation infrastructure and management of livestock, agriculture and pests may be contributing to increased incidences of the water-related diseases.  Interviews with over 300 households further identified habits or behaviours that increase the risk of disease. Participants engaged with workshop activities. ©WISH Fiji/WCS Following four days of intensive brainstorming and sharing of information, the results were shared with key government officials and the representatives from the provincial offices.  What came out strongly was the need to collaborate more closely to ensure interventions will be effective, and to share limited resources.The Fijian Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Iferemi Waqainabete (sitting, fifth from left) at the WISH Fiji stakeholder meeting at Holiday Inn in Suva. ©WISH Fiji/WCS While closing the workshop, the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Iferemi Waqainabete, said that the Ministry has long been concerned about the numbers of typhoid, leptospirosis and dengue cases. He added that the Ministry worked hard with the communities last year to enact preventative measures which focused on hygiene and sanitation to help reduce these disease outbreaks.  Dr. Waqainabete stated “WISH Fiji is the first project in our country to embrace an integrated, preventative approach to tackle Fiji’s three plagues – leptospirosis, typhoid and dengue – through actions that will simultaneously bring benefits to the environment and the people of Fiji.”.  This project is generously funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies' Vibrant Oceans Initiative and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs.         adevi@wcs.org Wed, 11 Mar 2020 22:09:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13925 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13907/Making-the-invisible-visible-women-fishers-in-Fiji.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=13907 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13907&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13907/Making-the-invisible-visible-women-fishers-in-Fiji.aspx Women play a myriad of roles on a daily basis, taking care of family, performing domestic duties, financially and emotionally supporting the household, contributing to professional sectors, building community and supporting the national economy.  In Fiji, women in coastal communities have engaged in the fisheries sector for decades. Their contributions towards household and economy, however, have often been undervalued. A national report on ‘The critical contribution of women fishers to food security and livelihoods in Fiji’ provides evidence and a comprehensive analysis of the roles that women fishers play in household food security, nutrition and income generation. Cover of the newly launched national report on women in fisheries. The Report was produced by  the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in partnership with Ministry of Fisheries, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Conservation International, Vatuvara Foundation Fiji, Women in Fisheries Network-Fiji, Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area-Network, University of the South Pacific and the Pacific Community (SPC). The partners launched the report on Friday, 6 March 2020, in conjunction with International Women’s Day.                             Wildlife Conservation Society Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai and the Director for                  Ministry of Fisheries, Mere Lakeba cut the cake to celebrate International Women's Day. © WCSOver 1,200 iTaukei (indigenous) women fishers were interviewed from 11 provinces of Fiji to explore their fishing motivations and strategies in five habitats: freshwater rivers, mangroves and mudflats, soft bottom, coral reef and open ocean habitats. The Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai said it was important to quantify the role of women in fisheries as it will help better design interventions specific to women fishers which in turn, contributes to the effective management of Fiji’s fisheries. The study suggested that collectively, 70% of the catch by women fishers are for household consumption, while the rest are sold for income. Women also fished for social and cultural events within their community.The Director for the Ministry of Fisheries, Mere Lakeba, congratulated the authors of the report, as it will assist the Ministry in addressing the challenges faced by women in fisheries sector and ensure their long-term sustainability of Fiji's coastal fisheries. The partners who participated or contributed to the report with the Director for Ministry of Fisheries, Mere Lakeba at the launch on March 6 2020.  © Arishma Devi “Through the report, I believe that women working hard day in and out to provide for their families through fisheries will have a voice and finally be recognized for all that they do and contribute to the sector,” Ms Lakeba said. adevi@wcs.org Mon, 09 Mar 2020 20:46:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13907 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13504/WCS-Fiji-Director-discusses-gender-equity-and-social-inclusion-at-the-International-Symposium-Fisheries-Sustainability-in-Rome.aspx#Comments 0 https://fiji.wcs.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=20413&ModuleID=42303&ArticleID=13504 https://fiji.wcs.org:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=13504&PortalID=82&TabID=20413 https://fiji.wcs.org/News-Room/ID/13504/WCS-Fiji-Director-discusses-gender-equity-and-social-inclusion-at-the-International-Symposium-Fisheries-Sustainability-in-Rome.aspx “There is a growing interest in ensuring that the approaches used in fisheries and conservation, incorporate gender equity and social inclusion to ensure outcomes are fair, just and sustainable.” Speaking as a panelist at a Session at the 2019 FAO International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in Rome, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai shared her views on how gender and social inclusion could enhance food security and biodiversity conservation.Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji Country Program, Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai as a panelist at a Session at the 2019 FAO International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in Rome. Credit: FAO  She elaborated on existing approaches for gender and social inclusion and discussed what needed to be improved further for effective outcomes in creating sustainable fisheries. “When we talk about people, we are talking about both men and women who play different and complementary roles when it comes to biodiversity conservation and food security,” Dr. Mangubhai said. She also added that communities were not homogenous and were made up of diverse social or ethnic groups. “It is critical to understand ‘intersectionality’ which where social categorizations such as ethnicity, class, and gender can overlap and can compound inequalities. Beyond a moral issue, inequalities can create obstacles that if not understood and addressed, will ultimately make biodiversity and fisheries interventions ineffective,” Dr. Mangubhai said. But if not careful, the very interventions can reinforce or aggravate inequalities. For example, if a marine protected area is placed where women glean, this can impact food security, as the women will need travel further or work harder to feed their families.Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji Country Program Director, Dr. Sangeeta Mangubhai discusses gender equity and social inclusion for sustainable fisheries. Photo: FAO  In addressing the international conservationists, Dr. Mangubhai said moving forward, “it is important that gender issues are on the FAO Committee on Fisheries agenda, and the development of a strategy for mainstreaming gender equity and social inclusion in programmes and in statistics, policies and international instruments should be discussed.” She has called on the conservationists to “move beyond guidelines and lip-service to provide practical tools to implement joint biodiversity protection and fisheries management objectives, using gender and social inclusive approaches that are unique to their social-cultural and geographic setting.” “We should not do gender and social inclusion because we have to, but because it is instrumental to reach both food security and conservation objectives, and it is morally the right thing to do,” Dr. Mangubhai said. Fisheries sector is considered to be at an important crossroad today. While it is significantly contributing to daily food security and livelihoods of many who depend on it, the growing demand continues to affect the future of marine and inland fisheries. The 2019 International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability currently underway at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, is set to identify pathways to strengthen the science and policy interplay in fisheries production, management and trade, based on principals of sustainability, for improved outcomes in practice. The debates and conclusions of the Symposium will prepare the way for development of a new vision for capture fisheries, outlining how the sector can respond to the complex and rapidly changing challenges facing society. adevi@wcs.org Wed, 20 Nov 2019 22:16:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:13504