A hand drawn, animated short-film called Awesome Oceans. It shows how fascinating this habitat is, but also how human behaviour endangers it.
[Read more…]LMMA Network awarded the 2016 Distinguished Service Awards at the Society of Conservation Biology- Oceania
Congratulations to the LMMA Network for receiving the 2016 Distinguished Service Awards at the Society of Conservation Biology- Oceania.
[Read more…]TEDx – Our Coral Connection – Andrea Grottoli
Excellent presentation from one of our collegues in Coral Research in Hawaii.
Our Coral Connection | Andrea Grottoli | TEDxOhioStateUniversity [Read more…]
Future of coastal fisheries lies between science, Pacific tradition and a song
A new song for Pacific coastal fisheries, representing a pathway to change, was the centrepiece of recommendations to emerge from a fisheries forum which ended today at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) headquarters in Noumea.
Marine scientists, government officials, natural resource managers, researchers, community fishers and non-governmental organisations from 24 countries and territories shared their knowledge and experience this week to help shape the pathway that will be considered at the 9th biennial Pacific Heads of Fisheries meeting next week. [Read more…]
Poachers steal sea cucumbers with little regard and respect for the efforts of these communities
Our first two survey days have been spent in Natuvu village in Wailevu West, in Cakaudrove Province.
We chose this village because we had heard the local communities have been actively managing their sea cucumber resources through tabu areas (temporal closures) for many years now.
With some initial support from the Department of Fisheries and James Cook University in 2009, the communities received sea pens and brood stock of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra (known locally as dairo and by traders as sandfish), to help revive their depleted stock.
Reeling in religious messages: how faith impacts fisheries in Fiji
Marrying religion and conservation could be key to making Fiji’s fisheries sustainable By: Amy West
Fijians appear to enter life with vocal cords prepped for singing. It’s an ideal trait, because most are deeply devoted to church where their voices are put to good use. When walking through villages on any given day, these beautiful sounds can be heard reverberating along the jungle backdrop. [Read more…]
NatureFiji-MareqetiViti Taveuni Visit 2012
NatureFiji-MareqetiViti Taveuni Visit 2012
The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count – November 2-8, 2008
Why are we counting Butterflyfish?
Butterflyfish are easily observed in all regions of Fiji, and counting them tells us a lot about coral health and water quality. Most Butterflyfish feed on and live among hard corals, so they depend on reefs that are in good condition. Coral animals need good water quality and steady temperatures between 68° and 86°F (20° and 30°C) to thrive. High numbers of Butterflyfish reflect good coral health, which in turn reflects good water quality. On healthy, live reefs, we would expect to see many different kinds of Butterflyfish, but if reefs are unhealthy, we may see a drop in numbers and variety.
Reef Check at the Kelly Slater Invitational 2004
International surf sensation Kelly Slater invited Reef Check to the islands of Fiji for an event like no other. The Kelly Slater Invitational was held May 20-22 on the islands of Tavarua and Namotu and the beneficiary of this celebrity surfing event was Reef Check.
The brainchild of six-time world champion Kelly Slater, the event brought together the greats of professional surfing, along with invited friends and celebrities. A range of competition formats were used, documented and critiqued by Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) management and the surfers themselves.
