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Pacific Harbour, Fiji - A book launch was held in Pacific Harbour, Fiji on the occasion the European Union (EU) -Pacific Policy Dialogue Roundtable on oceans meeting, led by the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme with the participation of national delegates and programme partners.
Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, and valued community members,
Welcome to our important gathering today, where we focus on the critical role of Community-Based Fisheries Management (CBFM) in sustaining the vibrant coastal fisheries that are a cornerstone of our regional identity and economy.
Representatives from key Ministries and non-government organisations met in Nuku'alofa this week to plan activities to support Government and coastal communities achieve their protected marine species conservation priorities. Participants agreed the activities should focus on reducing the catch of endangered marine species such as turtles and sharks in offshore and inshore fisheries and strengthening the capacity of government staff to help ensure that the Kingdom of Tonga meet their obligations under the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).
Provincial government, community leaders, industry and conservation groups recently met to share their views on an update to the country’s National Plan of Action for Conservation and Management of Sharks. The series of meetings successfully secured feedback on the draft plans and the Conservation and Environmental Protection Authority (CEPA) committed to reflecting stakeholder comments in the final documents, which will be endorsed in early 2021.
Beaches are an ecological wonder, home to a wide variety of species that live within the beach or migrate to the beach as part of their life cycle. Yet beaches are facing increasing change and environmental impacts from human use, erosion, land development and climate change. These impacts are not only on the habitat but also the myriad of land, coastal and marine species that play a vital role in beach ecosystems; and for those species, beaches may be getting too hot!