Marine management

The countries involved are Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu.

The initiative includes strengthened whale conservation measures across the Pacific region.orxcis to conserve the population of whales available for future generations in the Pacific.

The conference was part of the 'Year of the Whale in the Pacific Islands' and the declaration included a commitment to recognised the deep cultural relationship, including traditional knowledge, between whales and Pacific peoples.

The country recently announced all water within its 50 nautical mile zone would be protected from commercial fishing,

The government wants to reduce interaction between commercial fishers and whales within Cook Islands waters.

The Cook Islands Minister of Environment, Kiriau Turepu, says his country recognises the importance of whales in the oceans, environment, economy and culture.

He says calving happens in Cooks' waters, which makes them even more special to Cook Islanders.