Marine Protected Areas: Legislative and Policy Gap Analysis for Fiji Islands
IUCN is pleased to announce the release of a policy and legislation gap analysis for marine protected areas in the Fiji Islands. The paper was prepared on behalf of the IUCN Regional Office for Oceania, at the request of the WWF South Pacific Programme, and was co-authored by IUCN Commission on Environmental Law (CEL) member, Ms Erika Techera, and IUCN Legal Research Intern, Ms Shauna Troniak.
“In this report, the authors provide a thoughtful analysis of key legal and policy issues associated with the establishment of marine protected areas in Fiji, with a particular emphasis on the role of local communities in the management of coastal marine resources,” said Pepe Clarke, IUCN CEL Regional Focal Point for Oceania.
In particular, the authors recommend:
• harmonisation of existing laws and policies to improve administration and reduce fragmentation;
• amendments to fisheries legislation to allow greater community involvement in designation and management of inshore marine protected areas;
• adoption of comprehensive protected area legislation to support the establishment of inshore and offshore marine protected areas; and
• strengthening the locally management marine area (LMMA) network in Fiji.
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