This study first presents the general knowledge on shark exploitation and vulnerability. Then, the status of coastal shark fisheries in the Pacific Islands is addressed from the angle of the data available for this region and on the basis of information collected through a questionnaire that was sent to the fisheries department of the Pacific countries. In the last part, prospects for management and regulation are discussed.
Fact Sheet - Pacific tourism depends on healthy marine ecosystems for aesthetic appeal and for the ecosystem services that support human occupation. This fact sheet links it to SDGs and brief background info on how the Pacific island countries face challenges in planning for sustainable development of infrastructure as well as sea and land uses related to tourism
Pacific Factsheet on ocean acidification, briefly covering how it links to SDGs
The Pacific Ocean 2020 Challenge seeks to focus global attention, to build new partnerships, and generate the necessary commitments, to address threats to the world’s largest natural asset – the Pacific Ocean - by 2020
Reports on the state of the world's sea turtles
Summary table of the status of Pacific Island countries in relation to International and Regional conventions.
This guide introduces environmental indicators and provides an overview of SPREP’S core indicators for Pacific island countries. In 2012, the SPREP members approved the development of a set of standardised indicators for use by member countries at the SPREP meeting. Through the Inform project, SPREP programmes then developed a set of 34 indicators that was endorsed by members at the 2018 SPREP meeting. This document explains the development and use of environmental indicators in Part 1 and provides a summary of each of the 34 ‘core’ indicators in Part 2.
The Strandings of Oceania database is a collaborative project between SPREP, WildMe and the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium to record stranding and beachcast data for whales, dolphins and dugongs throughout the Pacific. We use a platform called Flukebook. An account is needed to view or use data within Flukebook but the data is available for download here. You can submit data direct into Flukebook (preferably while logged in) or send a completed data form to SPREP for upload. Guidance on using the database is available :
"Comparison of the average hard coral cover between the three five-year periods comprising the last 15 years (2005-09, 2010-14, 2015-19, Tab. 9.3) indicated that there was a high degree of confidence (93%) in the long-term decline, despite the uncertainty in individual yearly estimates. Further, the vast majority (90%) of this decline occurred between 2010-14 and 2015-19, suggesting that the rate of decline in hard coral cover has accelerated during the last five years"
Circular 21/150
Inform Plus proposed 5 pillars
- Component 1: Environmental Governance
- Component 2: Monitoring and field data collection for environmental standards and standardised environmental indicators
- Component 3: Data management utilising the Pacific Island Network Portal (PEP). Production of information products for decision makers based on existing data sets.
- Component 4: Enhance and expand GIS use for data collection, analysis and presentation to inform decision makers
Coral reefs in every region of the world are threatened by climate change, no matter how remote or well protected. Identifying and protecting climate refugia is a popular recommendation for coral reef management. Climate refugia are locations that maintain suitable environmental conditions for a resident species even when surrounding areas become inhospitable.
This report outlines a baseline assessment of the water quality, sediment quality and aquatic ecology of the Metapona River system downstream of Gold Ridge Mine, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The assessment was conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology in the Solomon Islands Government. This assessment will provide the framework to establish an integrated environmental monitoring program for the Metapona River system.
The purpose of this research is to develop a robust water quality baseline data of relevant physical, chemical and biological parameters, over an 8-month period, 4 months in summer and 4 months in winter, at both low and high tides for three main estuaries along the Suva foreshore, where an increase in recreational water activity has been noted, as a result of urbanisation. Such a baseline is currently not available in the Fiji Islands. This investigation used affordable advanced and approved standard methods.
The National Environment Management Strategy will guide the MECDM to address environment issues and promote better livelihoods for the country.
As an environmental policy framework with strategic directions, the NEMS has the potential to strengthen partnerships within sectors and provide opportunities for funding support from donor partners. The NEMS is a sign of commitment by MECDM to ensure national development targets and sector planning activities are carried out coherently, and promote environmental sustainability.