Posts by EmosiLasaqa
Iguanas spark conservation in paradise
They are probably the most famous Iguanas in the Pacific. Meet Malolo and Likuliku, the two Fiji crested iguanas at the magical Likuliku Lagoon Resort in the Mamanuca Group of islands. In a haven of subtle luxury, embraced by the renowned warmth of its workers, the two iguanas seem to know that they are celebrities. They pose, with attitudes of total indifference for photographs. And many guests who have visited Likuliku Lagoon Resort, the first and only resort in Fiji with over-water bures, are trailing the iguanas progress and fame on facebook. The Fiji crested iguana (Brachyllophus Vitiensis) was feared extinct on Malolo so when in January 2011, a 33.5 centimetre long...
Read MoreCoral transplanting gives hope to threatened reef
WHILE tourists lay lazily on the beach in a typical sunny day at Mana Island Resort, four divers and a photographer were busy at work beneath the waves of the North Beach. On the ocean floor about eight meters deep lay seven tables-full of live corals, most was planted about seven months ago. Two cages of giant clams were among them. Because it was low tide, their shell opening never closes completely and they appear like colourful thick lips in between the wavy shell opening. It is a mistaken belief that divers can be trapped underwater if the giant clam closes over their foot or hand. But many of these peaceful clams can’t even close their shells completely....
Read MoreTurtle Release – Agriculture show a success
FIVE Hawksbill turtles were released off Vio Island in Lautoka during the Crest Chicken Agriculture show as part of the Mamanuca Environment Society and Ministry of Fisheries and Forest’s Ridge to Reef program. Three were released on Friday 10, August by the Minister for Primary Industries, Joketani Cokanasiga, Minister of Youth and Sports, Viliame Naupoto and Director Fisheries Sanaila Naqali. The other two, only three months old were released on Saturday 11 August after the show officially closed. The biggest of the five turtles-a one year eight months old female hawksbill was tagged at Vomo Island by the Mamanuca Environment Society (MES) on Monday 23rd July at...
Read MoreTuna stock under spotlight
Fiji is working on a Tuna Management Plan to manage and conserve its tuna stock as some species are on the verge of being overfished. Consultation work on this plan has been making its rounds with stakeholders and consultations have looked at issues pertaining to the management of tuna stock. “Big eye (a Tuna specie) is on the verge of being overfished while albacore and yellow fin is still in abundance” said the Senior Trade Officer for the Department of Fisheries Mr Joela Cama on Jul 11. “For the purposes of evaluation, ‘non-target’ tunas include all tuna and tuna-like species except Albacore. However, it should be noted that other species may be targeted in...
Read MoreSharks’ depleting status a priority
Call for better monitoring of sharks The vulnerability of shark species and their depleting status in the region has become an area of priority analysis for Fiji and the Oceania Fisheries Programme( OFP).. Stock assessments of the status of silky shark and oceanic white – tip shark within the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) will be presented to the Western Central Pacific Tuna Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Scientific Committee meeting in August 2012, while an assessment for the blue shark is planned for presentation to the Scientific Committee meeting in August next year. Key shark species interactions within the Fiji long line fishery include blue sharks,...
Read MoreCoral restoration soldiers on
Restoring corals into its former glory in the Mamanuca Island Group waters for the past two years has been a real challenge. At Malolo Island Resort, planting coral is now an ongoing monthly project since it started in January this year. On Friday last week, the resort’s activities staff were at it again. Not soon after the beating of the ‘lali’, the usually quiet beach was full of motion as guests gathered in numbers to witness the process. Some curious mind, especially young ones were given chance to plant corals. For Soropepeli Soro, a field officer for Mamanuca Environment Society (MES), coral restoration in Malolo is now more like a personal endeavor- to...
Read MoreClam restoration at Malolo and Likuliku
Giant clams have been a sustainable resource for millennia, but unregulated harvesting has made them increasingly rare to find on our reefs. And because it has become an important module in the process of repopulating depleted coral reefs around the globe, Mamanuca Environment Society’s Clam Restoration Project was introduced to Likuliku Lagoon Resort and Malolo Island Resort on Monday August 6. Forty young clams from Makogai Island were shared between the two Ahura managed resorts. They were placed in large steel cages to protect them from predators, like octopus, crabs and parrotfish. The cage was placed at the house reef where they will spend 3-10 years for giant...
Read MoreClam farming a success
Research into the reproduction culture of giant clams has become an important module in the process of repopulating depleted coral reefs around the globe. In the Mamanuca Group of Islands, clam farming was started in 2005 as a project by the Mamanuca Environment Society (MES). Baby giant clams were supplied to MES by the Fisheries Department nursery on Makogai Island which was declared as marine reserve in 1986. Nowadays, there are mini clam nurseries in Castaway Island Resort, Tokoriki Island Resort, Treasure Island Resort, South Sea Island, Mana Island Resort and Solevu village house reef. In Tokoriki alone, three species of Clams, Tridacna Giga (Giant), Tridacna...
Read MoreAir Pacific Partners with Mamanuca Environment Society
Air Pacific and the Mamanuca Environment Society (“MES”) have announced a new partnership aimed at funding the environmental organisation’s core activities. Air Pacific has already begun its F$20,000 annual contributions to assist the Society’s efforts to preserve the environment and promote environmental awareness through school and community programs that will preserve the pristine natural beauty of the Mamanucas and surrounding islands. “We all have a stake in preserving Fiji’s pristine beauty, and we are pleased to support the important work the Mamanuca Environment Society is doing in this regard. Throughout the Mamanucas and Western VitiLevu, the...
Read MoreWorking towards a sustainable future
The conservation and implementation of sound environmental policies safeguarding Fiji’s marine resources is vital to ensuring its sustainability for Fiji’s future generation. This has prompted the Fijian Government to partner with numerous institutions, non government organisations and international partners in implementing various environmental programmes throughout Fiji to address issues such as: biodiversity conservation; sustainable biological resource use; climate change mitigation; waste and pollution management; and sustainable development. Speaking at the launch of Fiji’s National Day celebration at Yeosu in South Korea on July 22, Prime...
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