ISSN 1818-5614 Socioeconomic baseline study: Eastern Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands By Jeff Kinch, Patrick Mesia, Nelly Kere, Julia Manioli, and Kenneth Bulehite IWP-Pacific Technical Report (International Waters Project) no. 35 Global United Nations Pacific Regional Environment Development Environment Facility Programme Programme SPREP IRC CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Kinch, Jeff Socioeconomic baseline study : Eastern Marovo lagoon, Solomon Islands / by Jeff, Kinch … [et.al]. – Apia, Samoa : SPREP, 2006. 103 p. ; 29 cm. – (IWP-Pacific Technical report, ISSN 1818- 5614 ; no.35). ISBN: 978-982-04-0355-0 1. Social surveys – Communities studies – Solomon Islands. 2. Social status – Demographic surveys – Solomon Islands. 3. Socioeconomic studies – Development – Solomon Islands. 4. Socioeconomic studies – Conservation and protection – Solomon Islands. I. Mesia, Patrick. II. Kere, Nelly. III. Manioli, Julia. IV. Bulehite, Kenneth. V. International Waters Project (IWP). VI. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). VII. Title. VIII. Series. 333.784 4 This report was produced by SPREP’s International Waters Project, which is implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the International Waters of the Pacific Small Island Developing States, with funding from the Global Environment Facility. The views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the publisher. Cover design by SPREP's Publication Unit Editing and layout: Mark Smaalders SPREP PO Box 240, Apia Samoa E: [email protected] T: +685 21 929 F: +685 20 231 Website: www.sprep.org © Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme 2006 All rights for commercial/for profit reproduction or translation, in any form, reserved. SPREP authorises the partial reproduction of this material for scientific, educational or research purposes, provided that sprep and the source document are properly acknowledged. Permission to reproduce the document and/or translate in whole, in any form, whether for commercial or non-profit purposes, must be requested in writing. Original SPREP artwork may not be altered or separately published without permission. ii Contents Glossary...................................................................................................................................... v Acronyms .................................................................................................................................. vi Units of measure ....................................................................................................................... vi Executive summary ................................................................................................................... 1 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 3 1 Background........................................................................................................................ 4 1.1 The International Waters Project................................................................................. 4 1.2 IWP Solomon Islands.................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Aims and objectives .................................................................................................... 5 2 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 The Solomon Islands ................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Marovo Lagoon ........................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Human History ............................................................................................................ 9 2.4 Population and demography...................................................................................... 11 2.5 Language ................................................................................................................... 13 2.6 Church ....................................................................................................................... 15 2.7 Governance................................................................................................................ 16 2.8 Education and Literacy.............................................................................................. 17 2.9 Health ........................................................................................................................ 19 2.10 Community Infrastructure ......................................................................................... 19 2.11 Transport ................................................................................................................... 21 3 The General Economy..................................................................................................... 22 3.1 Income and Expenditure............................................................................................ 22 3.2 Time Allocation......................................................................................................... 26 3.3 Food Consumption .................................................................................................... 27 3.4 Gardening .................................................................................................................. 27 3.5 Village Plantations .................................................................................................... 27 3.6 Tourism ..................................................................................................................... 28 3.7 Logging ..................................................................................................................... 29 3.8 Mining ....................................................................................................................... 30 3.9 Oil palm..................................................................................................................... 30 4 Fisheries............................................................................................................................ 31 4.1 The Live Reef Food Fish Trade (LRFFT)................................................................. 31 4.2 Fisheries Centers ....................................................................................................... 33 4.3 Baitfish Fishery ......................................................................................................... 33 4.4 Aquarium Fish........................................................................................................... 34 4.5 Artisanal Fisheries..................................................................................................... 34 iii 4.5.1 Bêche-de-mer .............................................................................................................34 4.5.3 Crayfish ......................................................................................................................43 4.5.4 Trochus and other shellfish ........................................................................................43 4.5.5 Coral...........................................................................................................................43 4.5.6 Reef fish .....................................................................................................................43 4.5.7 Turtles.........................................................................................................................45 4.5.8 Mangroves and seagrass.............................................................................................46 5 Management......................................................................................................................46 5.1 Tenureship..................................................................................................................46 5.2 "Traditional" Management .........................................................................................48 5.3 Present Management ..................................................................................................49 5.4 Marine Protected Areas..............................................................................................51 5.5 Government Management ..........................................................................................52 5.6 IWP Community Project Committees........................................................................53 5.7 Previous Projects in Marovo Lagoon .........................................................................53 5.8 Current Projects in the Marovo Lagoon .....................................................................54 6 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................55 6.1 Next Steps ..................................................................................................................56 Recommendations ..................................................................................................................56 References and resource materials .........................................................................................57 Appendix A: Socio-economic Survey Form (March-April 2004) (1st