COMPONENT 3A - PROJECT 3A3 Institutional strengthening & technical support Improvement of socio-economics of coral reefs April 2009 STUDY REPORT SSTATUSTATUS AANDND PPOTENTIALOTENTIAL OOFF LLOCALLY-MANAGEDOCALLY-MANAGED MMARINEARINE AAREASREAS IINN TTHEHE SSOUTHOUTH PPACIFIC:ACIFIC: MMeetingeeting naturenature conservationconservation andand sustainablesustainable livelihoodlivelihood ttargetsargets throughthrough wide-spreadwide-spread implementationimplementation ofof LMMAsLMMAs BByy HughHugh GOVANGOVAN CContributors:ontributors: AAliferetilifereti TTawake,awake, KKesaiaesaia TTabunakawai,abunakawai, AAaronaron JJenkins,enkins, AAntoinentoine LLas-as- ggorceix,orceix, AAnne-Mareenne-Maree SSchwarz,chwarz, BBillill AAalbersberg,albersberg, BBrunoruno MManele,anele, CarolineCaroline Vieux,Vieux, DDelveneelvene NNotere,otere, DDanielaniel Afzal,Afzal, EErikarika TTechera,echera, EEronironi TTulalaulala RRasalato,asalato, HelenHelen SSykes,ykes, HHughugh WWalton,alton, HHugougo TTafea,afea, IIsoasoa KKorovulavula,orovulavula, JJamesames CComley,omley, JJeffeff KKinch,inch, JJessess FFeehely,eehely, JJulieulie PPetit,etit, LLouiseouise HHeaps,eaps, PPaulaul AAnderson,nderson, PPipip CCohen,ohen, PPuleaulea IIfopo,fopo, RRonon VVave,ave, RRoyoy Hills,Hills, SeiniSeini Tawakelevu,Tawakelevu, SSemeseemese AAlefaio,lefaio, SSemisiemisi MMeo,eo, SShaunahauna TTroniak,roniak, SSiola’aiola’a Malimali,Malimali, SuzieSuzie Kukuian,Kukuian, SylviaSylvia George,George, TalavouTalavou Tauaefa,Tauaefa, TeviTevi ObedObed MMainain contributors:contributors: WWithith iin-kindn-kind ssupportupport oof:f: The CRISP programme is implemented as part of the policy developed by the Secretariat of the Pacifi c Regional Environment Programme for a contribution to conservation and sustainable development of coral reefs in the Pacifi c. he Initiative for the Protection and Management of Coral Reefs in the Pacifi c T (CRISP), sponsored by France and prepared by the French Development Agency (AFD) as part of an inter-ministerial project from 2002 onwards, aims to develop a vision for the future of these unique ecosystems and the communities that depend on them and to introduce strategies and projects to conserve their biodiversity, while developing the economic and environmental services that they provide both locally and globally. Also, it is designed as a factor for integration between developed countries (Australia, New Zealand, Japan and USA), French overseas territories and Pacifi c Island developing countries. The CRISP Programme comprises three major components, which are: Component 1A: Integrated Coastal Management and Watershed Management - 1A1: Marine biodiversity conservation planning - 1A2: Marine Protected Areas - 1A3: Institutional strengthening and networking - 1A4: Integrated coastal reef zone and watershed management CRISP Coordinating Unit (CCU) Component 2: Development of Coral Ecosystems Programme Manager : Eric CLUA - 2A: Knowledge, monitoring and management of coral reef ecosytems SPC - PoBox D5 - 2B: Reef rehabilitation 98848 Noumea Cedex - 2C: Bioprospection and marine active substances New Caledonia - 2D: Development of regional data base (ReefBase Pacifi c) Tel/Fax: (687) 265471 Component 3: Programme Coordination and Development Email: [email protected] - 3A: Institutional strengthening, technnical support and extension www.crisponline.net - 3B: Coordination, promotion and development of CRISP Programme COMPONENT 3A Institutional strengthening, technical support and extension PROJECT 3A-1: Institutional support and strengthening of links with member countries PROJECT 3A-2: Support to governance through workshops and studies sites PROJECT 3A-3: Improvement of socio-economics of coral reefs Component Leader: Caroline VIEUX PROJECT 3A-4: SPREP Technical and fi nancial support to regional networks and database (GCRMN, PO Box 240, Apia SEM-Pacifi ka, ReefBase Pacifi c) Samoa Tel: (685) 21929 PROJECT 3A-5: Fax: (685) 20231 Disseminaton of knowledge and lessons learned sensitization of [email protected] stakeholders Funding agencies: Author and compiler: Hugh Govan, PO Box S-37, Suva, Fiji [[email protected]] Contributors: The following made important contributions to the report: Alifereti Tawake, Kesaia Tabunakawai, Aaron Jenkins, Antoine Lasgorceix, Anne-Maree Schwarz, Bill Aalbersberg, Bruno Manele, Caroline Vieux, Delvene Notere, Daniel Afzal, Erika Techera, Eroni Tulala Rasalato, Helen Sykes, Hugh Walton, Hugo Tafea, Isoa Korovulavula, James Comley, Jeff Kinch, Jess Feehely, Julie Petit, Louise Heaps, Paul Anderson, Pip Cohen, Pulea Ifopo, Ron Vave, Roy Hills, Seini Tawakelevu, Semese Alefaio, Semisi Meo, Shauna Troniak, Siola’a Malimali, Suzie Kukuian, Sylvia George, Talavou Tauaefa, Tevi Obed. Acknowledgments Gratitude for interviews and correspondence is due to: Aliti Vunisea, Ana Tiraa, Allan Bero, Barry Lally, Bob Gillett, Brendon Pasisi, Christopher Bartlett, Christophe Chevillon, Dave Fisk, David Malick, Etika Rupeni, Francis Mamou, Franck Magron, Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend, Helen Perks, Jackie Thomas, Jacqueline Evans, Jane Mogina, Jo Axford, Johann Bell, John Parks, John Pita, Jointly Sisiolo, Kiribati Taniera, Kori Raumea, Luanne Losi, Lucy Fish, Ludwig Kumoru, Magali Verducci, Malama Momoemausu, Manuai Matawai, Meghan Gombos, Modi Pontio, Mona Matepi, Olofa Tuaopepe, Pam Seeto, Paul Lokani, Peter Ramohia, Polangu Kusunan, Potuku Chantong, Rebecca Samuel, Richard Hamilton, Selaina Vaitautolu, Selarn Kaluwin, Shankar Aswani, Silverio Wale, Simon Foale, Simon Tiller, Stuart Chape, Sue Taei, Susan Ewen, Tamlong Tabb, Tanya O’Garra, Victor Bonito, Web Kanawi, Wilson Liligeto, Zaidy Khan. Profuse apologies to anyone I may have inadvertently omitted! Gratitude is due the following organizations for invaluable support: UNEP-WCMC (WDPA), CENESTA, TILCEPA, CEESP, TGER, UNDP-SGP, LMMA, SOPAC, SPREP, SPC, WCPA, WWF, WorldFish, Reefbase and CRISP. To be cited as: Govan, H. et al. 2009. Status and potential of locally-managed marine areas in the South Pacifi c: meeting nature conservation and sustainable livelihood targets through wide-spread implementation of LMMAs. SPREP/WWF/WorldFish-Reefbase/CRISP. 95pp + 5 annexes Contents Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ...........................................................................................................................3 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 11 The Pacifi c Islands and their Ocean ...............................................................................................13 Pacifi c Islands diversity .................................................................................................................14 Pacifi c Islands challenges ..............................................................................................................16 Responding to the challenges in Melanesia and Polynesia ...........................................................21 Customary land and sea tenure – obstacle or opportunity? ...........................................................21 Traditional and local governance systems .....................................................................................24 The “demise” and renaissance of community resource management ............................................25 The renaissance of community based marine resource management .........................................27 Defi nition of Community Conserved Areas ...................................................................................27 Defi nition of Locally Managed Marine Areas and Marine Managed Areas ..................................28 Defi nition of Marine Protected Areas ............................................................................................29 A note on terrestrial conservation ..................................................................................................30 An inventory of MMAs in Melanesia and Polynesia .....................................................................30 Current status of LMMAs in Melanesia and Polynesia ...............................................................35 Contribution of Marine Managed Areas to international commitments ........................................36 Physical characteristics of LMMAs ...............................................................................................38 Networks, clusters and umbrellas ..................................................................................................40 Drivers of LMMA establishment ...................................................................................................41 Tenure, institutional and governance contexts ...............................................................................45 Are LMMAs working? ..................................................................................................................47 Financing Marine Managed Areas in the South Pacifi c .....................................................................57 Country budgets .............................................................................................................................57 Government department budgets ...................................................................................................57 Government budgets