A recent survey conducted within the marine protected area (MPA) set up by villagers within the group of islands on Ono-i-Lau found its waters teeming with marine life.
Speaking during a recent visit to Matokana Village on Ono-i-Lau, Ministry of Fisheries senior researcher Tevita Vodivodi said this was evident in the number of turtles and sharks found in the conservation area.
Mr Vodivodi said it was also evident how conservation efforts had been embraced by villagers. “Following a dive in the area, we found a variety of healthy coral structures including soft corals which were present in high numbers in waters in the MPA,” he said.
“Fish species and sea turtles have become tame because they were not disturbed in their natural environment.”
Tui Matokana Roko Noa Sukanasau told Minister for Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau during a talanoa session that villagers had set up the MPA after advice from Ono natives who were specialists in marine science.
“We are benefiting from the effort because there has been a big spill off of fish stock from the tabu area and they are abundantly found in our waters meaning that people do not have to really travel far to fish,” he said.
Roko Noa told Mr Koroilavesau they wished the MPA could be gazetted as a government-recognised conservation area.
Mr Koroilavesau told villagers that they needed to carry out another stock assessment of the MPA before it could be gazetted.
