HEADS of eight Nacula and Yasawa districts in the Ba Province have agreed to collaborate to explore opportunities to sustainably manage their traditional fishing grounds.
Working in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pacific, the traditional leaders, led by Turaga na Tui Drola, reached a consensus to establish a network for their marine protected areas.
According to the WWF, the leaders agreed to use the ridge to reef and ecosystem-based management approach to help sustainably manage their marine resources by engaging in the reforestation of mangroves and degraded forest areas, sustainable agriculture and banning the use of fire to clear land for planting.
WWF-Pacific Great Sea Reef program manager Alfred Ralifo said the leadership of the Turaga na Tui Drola with the support of the Tikina ko Nacula, Sustainable Development Committee chair Ame Rokotuibau (turaganikoro for Navotua Village) and secretary Lavenia Naivalu (Mata ni tikina Nacula) had greatly assisted the WWF-Pacific team in implementing the “Living With Change – Resilient Mangroves, Fisheries and People” project funded by the IKU German government.
