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Today, the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and The University of the South Pacific (USP) signed a landmark agreement with the European Union to help promote sustainable management and sound ocean governance in the Pacific Region.
Senior representatives from eight Government Departments met in Port Vila yesterday for the first meeting of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) programme-funded By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative Steering Committee.
Healthy coastal ecosystems, particularly coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass habitats, are critical in underpinning coastal fisheries, food security and vital ecosystem services that provide significant additional benefits to Pacific coastal communities and economies. These ecosystem services include shoreline protection, maintenance of water quality, support for reef and nearshore tourism activities, and resilience to the impacts of climate change.
“Vanuatu is blessed with a diverse and productive marine environment, and our marine species, such as fish, turtles and seabirds are part of our cultural heritage,” said Esline Garaebiti, Director General, Ministry of Climate Change, Meteorology and Geo-hazard, Environment, Energy and Disaster Management at the launch of a new initiative to protect our marine species.