Pacific

Cook Islands Associate Minister of Environment, Mr. Mona Ioane shared the actions undertaken by the island nation to mainstream biodiversity into the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

This was one of four theme different High Level Roundtable Discussions that took place. One of these themes is the integration of biodiversity into cultural and traditional planning of locally managed marine areas.
"Ra'ui is our way to protect the harvest of our fisheries through cyclic fishing bans in certain coastal areas at different times.

The Tuna commission, which is the governing body for the world's largest tuna fishery, is meeting this week in Nadi in Fiji.

Several South American countries have recently expressed interest in becoming members of the Commission, one of which is Ecuador.

The chief executive of the PNA, Ludwig Kumoru said one of the issues that PNA is strongly opposing to is having new members, who have minimal interest in the fishery, admitted to the commission.

Nelson Cawthron Institute research scientist Dr Xavier Pochon returned from a Pacific expedition on board the ship of late Sir Peter Blake.

He was on board the ship for 10 days in the Tuamotu Archipelago, east of Tahiti, researching crustose coralline algae and the effect of climate change on corals in the Pacific.

The research so far showed the Polynesians reefs, which were thought to have been spared from the effects of climate change, have suffered multiple deep disruption.

The Program is a joint initiative by Cricket Australia, Netball Australia and the International Cricket Council, funded through the Australian Government's Pacific Sports Partnerships Innovation Funding.

It brings together female leaders from across the sports sector from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tonga.

Twenty women representing 13 different sporting organisations will spend the week developing their leadership skills through sport, to directly impact on the lives of young women and girls in their communities.

RNZ reports the initiative, led by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE), is supported by six government agencies including the Ministry for the Environment and the State Services Commission.

Pacific graduates are provided summer internships where they receive exposure to public sector work, policy writing and networking opportunities.

MBIE's Chief Advisor Pasifika Matalena Leaupepe said the initiative was part of a move to get more Pasifika working in the public sector.

Mr Trump said during his campaign he would pull out of the Paris climate accord although reports indicate he has softened his approach.

In a speech this morning in Suva, Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said without America the battle against climate change is doomed.

He told diplomats, NGOs and government officials Mr Trump must be persuaded to change his mind.

He said if the US does withdraw from the agreement there is no hope for the world to comprehensively tackle the issue.

 The 3-year Ridge to Reef project is helping to restore the coastal area of the Fanga'uta Lagoon Catchment which encompasses around 40,000 people.

The lagoon's once rich diversity of marine species and coastal vegetation has been destroyed over the years by climate change, poor sustainable management and waste dumping.

Project Manager Ta'hirih Fifita Hokafonu said building partnerships with the lagoon's 26 surrounding villages has been key.

RNZ reports Vice-President Kourabi Nenem  at the sanctuary's launch said that the nation was committed to protecting sharks from exploitation and overfishing.

Kiribati has banned commercial shark fishing in the sanctuary, which is about the size of India.

Palau established the region's first shark sanctuary in 2009.

The Marshall Islands and Tokelau followed suit in 2011 and a year later French Polynesia and the Cook Islands created adjacent shark sanctuaries spanning almost 4 million square kilometres of ocean.

Sitiveni Halapua is behind plans for Tonga's remote northern islands, the Niuas, to get a new shipping service that they will own and control.

A trimaran, that can carry a few passengers and some cargo, is being launched by its builders in New Zealand this weekend.

Dr Halapua said because of the often small populations on remote islands all over the Pacific, services are often irregular and usually expensive.

He said he had been approached by leaders around the Pacific who are interested in his idea.

RNZ reports they are meeting at the COP 22 meeting in Morocco.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) said the chant of "1.5 to stay alive" has been given wider recognition within the Paris Agreement, which was produced at last year's COP meeting.

SPREP said that by 2018, a special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and the related global greenhouse gas emissions will be released, giving further weight to the chants of "1.5 to stay alive".