PROCEEDINGS OF THE PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON MANGROVE WETLANDS PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE USE THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC MARINE STUDIES FACILITY, SUVA, FIJI JUNE 12 – 16, 2001 Hosted by SOUTH PACIFIC REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Funded by CANADA-SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (C-SPODP II) ORGANISING COMMITTEE South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Ms Mary Power Ms Helen Ng Lam Institute of Applied Sciences Ms Batiri Thaman Professor William Aalbersberg Editing: Professor William Aalbersberg, Batiri Thaman, Lilian Sauni Compiling: Batiri Thaman, Lilian Sauni ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The organisers of the workshop would like to thank the following people and organisations that contributed to the organising and running of the workshop. § Canada –South Pacific Ocean Deveopment Program (C-SPODP II) for funding the work- shop § South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) for organising the workshop § Institute of Applied Science (IAS) staff for the local organisation of the workshop and use of facilities § The local, regional, and international participants that presented country papers and technical reports § University of the Pacific (USP) dining hall for the catering § USP media centre for assistance with media equipment § Professor Randy Thaman for organising the field trip TABLE OF CONTENTS Organising Committee Acknowledgements Table of Contents Objectives and Expected Outcomes of Workshop Summary Report Technical Reports SESSION I: THE VALUE OF MANGROVE ECOSYSTEMS · The Value of Mangrove Ecosystems: Ecosystem Services and Functions · The Value of Mangroves and Mangrove Ecosystems: Cultural and Ethnobiological Importance · Mangrove/Fisheries Connections in Tropical Australia SESSION II: TECHNICAL ADDRESSES · Linking Mangroves and Fisheries: Towards a Trophic Model of the Mangrove Community of Darwin Harbour, Northern Australia · Economic Valuation of Mangroves and Decision-Making · The Environment Impact Assessment Process: For the benefit of fisheries SESSION III: MANGROVE WETLANDS MANAGEMENT · Environmental Management Plan for Fanga’uta Lagoon System · American Samoa Government’s American Samoa Coastal Zone Management Program Wetlands Management · Empowerment and the Challenges of Involving Local Communities SESSION IV: MANGROVE MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT · Community-based Monitoring and Management Network for the Conservation and Wise Use of Pacific Island Mangroves · Mangrove Assessment and Monitoring Methodologies Country Reports SESSION I: OVERVIEW OF MANGROVE WETLANDS IN THE PACIFIC REGION · The status of Mangroves: Global, Asia-Pacific, Pacific islands Region SESSION II: STATUS OF MANGROVE WETLANDS IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTIRES · American Samoa Country Report · Federated States of Micronesia Country Report · Fiji Country Report · Marshall Islands Country Report · Palau Country Report · Papua New Guinea Country Report · New Caledonia Country Report · Samoa Country Report · Solomon Islands Country Report · Tonga Country Report · Vanuatu Country Report Workshop Programme Fieldtrip Handouts · Handout for Visit to Nasoata Mangrove Islet, Rewa Delta, Viti Levu, Fiji Islands · Vascular Plants of Nasataa Island, Rewa Delta, Viti Levu, Fiji Participants List PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP MANGROVE WETLAND PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE USE Marine Studies Centre, USP Suva, June 12 – 16, 2001 Objectives: Ø To review and promote the recommendations of the Regional Wetlands Action Plan (RWAP) for the Pacific Islands (1995) to regional and national agencies responsible for mangrove wetland conservation and management. Ø To prioritise the updated Actions in the RWAP from both the national and regional perspective Ø To develop and promote funding proposal(s) for highest priority regional and national actions. Expected Outcomes Ø Review of the status and value of mangrove wetlands in the Pacific region Ø Review of current management initiatives and institutional arrangements in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Ø Priority list of actions to support the wise use and management of Mangrove Wetlands in countries in the region. Ø A strategy to be used to target technical and financial support from regional organisations and the donor community. Ø Updated Regional Wetlands Action Plan. SUMMARY REPORT WORKSHOP CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The workshop generally concluded that, while the specifics of mangrove degradation vary from country to country, the underlying causes are similar and have not changed or improved significantly since the Regional Wetlands Action Plan was developed. Urgent action is needed to focus attention on this issue and implement remedial action at the community level. The underlying cause of mangrove degradation is predominantly the shift from a subsistence-based economy to a commercial-based (market-driven) economy. With this shift comes population growth, social changes, and the exploitation of natural resources for commercial purposes. New needs, aspirations and wants are also being created. Consequently, Pacific island countries are facing new challenges of balancing their economic development goals with those of conservation of their natural resources. Attaining this balance is essential given the limited natural resource endowments and economic opportunities in the islands, high population growth rates generally, and their vulnerability to natural disasters such as hurricanes and cyclones. The strongest message to come out of the workshop was that the process of engaging communities in managing their resources is still not working well in the Pacific and that the project/donor- funding process is fundamentally flawed in this regard. Whilst the threats and management actions were prioritised (Tables 1 and 2), the workshop discussions focused on the “how to” rather than the “what to” do in relation to developing and implementing natural resource management plans/programs, in the Pacific island context, rather than developing a specific proposal. Conclusions 1. Despite modernisation and development, many coastal communities throughout the Pacific remain dependent on mangrove ecosystems and the services and products they continue to provide for their well being and economic livelihood, mostly through non-market based or subsistence exploitation. Because of their long association with mangroves, communities have a wealth of traditional empirical and scientific knowledge on the direct and indirect benefits of the mangrove ecosystem. 2. Even if these benefits provided by mangroves could be replaced, the expense would be far too great for most Pacific island rural and urban communities to absorb. 3. The environmental goods and services provided by mangrove systems in the Pacific are being used unsustainably by a range of stakeholders, without regard to the external costs that their actions impose upon the ecosystem and upon others who also depend upon this ecosystem. The “total economic value” of mangrove ecosystems must be taken into account in determining use types and levels, including all direct and indirect uses and benefits. 4. For resource use to be modified, the economic and socio-cultural interests of all parties must be taken into account. The incentives to change or modify behaviour must be carefully considered. In addition to measures to minimise environmental damage, specific measures need to be undertaken to address the particular constraints that poor resource-users face. Attempts to change resource use and promote sustainable mangrove management must consider the development needs of those communities that depend on these resources for their livelihood and survival needs. 5. The need to harmonise diverse stakeholder concerns and find shared interests that can be built upon to achieve environmentally sustainable mangrove management is of primary importance. 6. Management action must be multi-sectoral with representation of all primary stakeholders, especially local communities. 7. In order to work towards more sustainable mangrove management, key gaps in data/knowledge need to be addressed. Management needs to be based on good science. Sound data on biological and human-environment indicators is needed to guide policy and set parameters for sustainable resource use. 8. There is a real need to strengthen and enforce the rules and regulations governing the extraction and use of mangrove resources at the national and local level. 9. The region needs a stronger focus on mangrove wetland management. Recommendations Recommendations are in the form of guiding principles to develop national/local action programmes and priorities rather than simple action statements. Over-riding principles • We must find the balance between economic ‘development’ and ‘protection’ (sustainable use) • Projects must be relevant to the area and the community (i.e. have a context/area-specific outcome- focused approach) taking into account all the relevant factors at the site: – Ecological and economic factors will define the project/management boundary – Social, institutional and political characteristics will define the appropriate approach. GuidingPrinciples 1. Develop a common philosophy on what needs to be done – Must be founded in a partnership between government and ‘communities’ – All levels of government, private sector and relevant ‘communities’ should be involved. 2. Combine ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ information/management approaches/models and tools. 3. Management actions must be sustainable – Essential that they meet local income needs, – Adopt an integrated ecological-social-economic analytical