Project update - Fiji Coral Reef Conservation Project - January 2005
Added to website: 01 January 2005
Project Brief
Aim
The Fiji Coral Reef Conservation Project is a three-year project (2002-2005) to survey coral reefs of the Mamanuca Islands, the Yasawa Islands and other areas of Fiji. The programme provides training and conservation education opportunities for local Fijians, as part of an integrated programme to develop local capacity and ensure the long-term protection and sustainable use of marine resources throughout the region.
Location
CCC Partners
CCC is working at the invitation of and in partners with the Government of Fiji, local communities, the tourism sector and other groups.
Marine Science Programme
Baseline Surveys
Number and location of Surveys
Number of transects completed and opened
None
Reef Check
None
Interesting / Unusual Sightings
Once again rays played a major role in this months interesting sightings. However, to join with the numerous common Stingrays, Blue spotted rays and Eagle rays seen on House, at Honeymoon and Charlie’s, a Devil ray was spotted at Yalo Drivi and a small Manta ray at Charlie’s.
A couple of Green sea turtles have also been sighted this month, one at Ed’s Diner and one at Vatu Yali, which was also where a Humphead wrasse was observed. A Humphead wrasse was also spotted at Sunflower and a Bumphead parrotfish was seen at Honeymoon.
As you would expect Grey reef and White tip sharks were seen at Supermarket. White tips were also seen at Sunflower, on House Reef and at Charlie’s. This month’s top shark has to be the Black tip reef shark. Individuals were sighted at Charlie’s and Ika Bazaar, however over a few days this month several small Black tips have been seen swimming around in the shallows on House reef and also around Fraggle Rock.
Environmental Awareness
Capacity Building/Training of Local Counterparts
The ongoing process of teaching at local schools recommenced this month with an Environment programme at the Malolo District School, Solevu, Malolo Island. The Environment Programme is a collaborative teaching effort between MES (Mamanuca Environment Society) and CCC. The programme will run for 13 weeks with a two-hour session scheduled every week. The children of class 7 (Age 12) have been introduced to Coral Cay Conservation, MES (Mamanuca Environment Society), and Reef Check. They have carried out their own survey and learnt why we use target organisms. We have looked at why you might want to designate an area as an MPA (Marine Protected Area) and compared it to the local Tabu approach. The ideas of spill over and why you need to carry out biological surveys as part of the MPA process were also covered.
The process of setting up permanent Reef Check sites, in conjunction with MES (Mamanuca Environment Society), continues. This is part of a long-term project, which started back in June with a series of workshops held for the island and mainland Dive Operators working in the Mamanuca region. The aim was to educate the staff in coral reef biology and ecology, and best practice with regards to activities involving coral reefs. The overall aim of these workshops was to teach the simple Reef Check survey technique, and then choose some representative sites in the Mamanuca region for the Dive Operators to take responsibility for and survey on an annual basis. The data from these surveys is to be submitted to MES who can then analyse the data and compile an annual report on the status of the Mamanucas.
Understandably, activities have slowed down this month due to the distraction of Christmas. A full programme of community activities will recommence in February.
Coral Coast Project
The Coral Coast team has now completed all surveys in the Serua District. Surveys are now being extended East of Sigatoka towards Nadi. We continue to be assisted in our surveys by past scholarship students and members of the Institute of Applied Sciences in Suva. Recently members of Korolevu i wai Tikina were presented with the data and it was agreed that a series of bilingual posters would be produced to help the local land owners make educated decisions about the management of their fishing grounds. The posters are being produced with the assistance of a grant provided by the PADI Project Aware Asia-Pacific Program.
Yasawas Project
We anticipate the reopening of the Yasawas project soon.
