October 2006 TNC Pacific Island Countries Report No 5/06 Village-Based Marine Resource Use and Rural Livelihoods Kimbe Bay, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea Prepared for The Nature Conservancy by: Gina Koczberski1, George N. Curry1, Joseph K. Warku2 and Christina Kwam2 1Curtin University of Technology 2The Nature Conservancy Report of a study conducted between 2005-2006 of village-based marine resource use, management and rural livelihoods in Kimbe Bay, West New Britain Province. The research was a collaborative project between The Nature Conservancy, Kimbe Bay and Curtin University of Technology and funded by The Nature Conservancy. This publication was made possible through support provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and by the Office of Procurement, U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of Award No. LAG-A-00-99-00045-00. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International Development. David and Lucile Packard Foundation October 2006 TNC Pacific Island Countries Report No 5/06 Village-Based Marine Resource Use and Rural Livelihoods Kimbe Bay, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea Prepared for The Nature Conservancy by: Gina Koczberski1, George N. Curry1, Joseph K. Warku2 and Christina Kwam2 1Curtin University of Technology 2The Nature Conservancy Published by: The Nature Conservancy, Indo-Pacific Resource Centre Author Contact Details: Gina Koczberski: Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Media, Culture and Society, Curtin University of Technology GPO Box U1987 Perth, WA 6845 AUSTRALIA email: [email protected] George N. Curry: Department of Social Sciences Faculty of Media, Culture and Society, Curtin University of Technology GPO Box U1987 Perth, WA 6845 AUSTRALIA email: [email protected] Joseph Kavon Warku: PO Box 267 KIMBE, West New Britain Province, PNG. email: [email protected] Christina Kwam, The Nature Conservancy, Kimbe Bay Field Office, P.O. Box 267, Kimbe, West New Britain PAPUA NEW GUINEA email: [email protected] Suggested Citation: Koczberski, G., G.N. Curry, J. Warku and C. Kwam. 2006. Village-Based Marine Resource Use and Rural Livelihoods: Kimbe Bay, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. TNC Pacific Island Countries Report No. 5/06. © 2006, The Nature Conservancy All Rights Reserved. Reproduction for any purpose is prohibited without prior permission. Cover Photo: © George N. Curry ISBN 9980-9964-5-5 Available from: Indo-Pacific Resource Centre The Nature Conservancy 51 Edmondstone Street South Brisbane, QLD 4101 Australia Or via the worldwide web at: conserveonline.org/workspaces/pacific.island.countries.publications ii Acknowledgements The research team thanks the following people who contributed to the research project: the people of Kulungi, Gaungo, Tarobi, Baikakea, Potou and Baea and Baubau villages, and village councillors, Stephen Reu, Nick Buo, Victor Vareo and Tony Lagisa. Ward Committee member, Nathaniel Ove, and Lolobau Island leader, Sebastian Pumana Kautu, are also acknowledged. We are also very grateful to the following individuals and their families: Herman Wakore, Herman Volele, Cletus Reiki and Victor Vereo for providing meals and hospitality to the research team during fieldwork. Thanks also to Rickard Reiman and Otto Gavuli for their support during fieldwork at Baea village. We also gratefully acknowledge the assistance provided of Hargy Oil Palm Limited for fuel and tyre repairs during fieldwork in eastern Kimbe Bay. Elvis Mathias, fish buyer for KBSA, is also acknowledged. Special thanks to Sylvia Maiap for assistance with household interviews and focus group surveys at Gaungo and Kulungi villages, Scott Kimpton for work carried out on the household data bases, and Peter Ramohia for shellfish identification. Helpful editorial comments were made by Aileen Hoath. The team would also like to acknowledge the support and assistance provided by Alison Green, Jeanine Almany, Stuart Sheppard and Richard Hamilton at the TNC Brisbane Office, and the following staff members at TNC Kimbe Bay Marine Project and the Port Moresby office: Paul Lokani, Walain Ulaiwi, Stephen Keu, Shannon Seeto, Anisah Sapul, Joe Aitsi, Philip Lahui, Susan Evans, Dorothy Lare, Dominica Kamas and Norma Dobunaba. Research funding was provided by USAID for which the authors are most grateful. iii iv Contents Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables..................................................................................................................................................vii List of Figures............................................................................................................................................... viii List of Boxes ....................................................................................................................................................xi List of Plates ....................................................................................................................................................xi List of Appendices .........................................................................................................................................xi Abbreviations & Acronyms ........................................................................................................................xii Executive Summary............................................................................................................... xiii 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 Study Background...................................................................................................................................... 1 Rationale & Scope of Study.....................................................................................................................2 Marine Environment ................................................................................................................................2 Demographic Environment .................................................................................................................... 3 Economic Environment ........................................................................................................................... 3 Social Environment ................................................................................................................................... 5 Report Outline ...........................................................................................................................................6 Notes .............................................................................................................................................................6 2. Study Sites & Methods .....................................................................................................7 Study Sites....................................................................................................................................................7 Kulungi Village ................................................................................................................ 7 Gaungo Village............................................................................................................... 10 Tarobi Village................................................................................................................. 10 Baikakea Village............................................................................................................. 11 Potou Village .................................................................................................................. 12 Baea Village.................................................................................................................... 12 Research Design .......................................................................................................................................14 Notes ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 3. Marine Tenure & Cultural Heritage..................................................................17 Customary Marine Tenure.................................................................................................................... 17 Resource Tenure and Clan Leadership ........................................................................... 18 Closures .......................................................................................................................... 19 Marine Cultural Heritage.....................................................................................................................20 Notes ...........................................................................................................................................................24 4. Subsistence Use of Marine Resources ..................................................................25 Introduction..............................................................................................................................................25 Local Marine Activities ..........................................................................................................................25