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The selected site called Papa-Palauli is situated on the southeast of Savaii. The shoreline is consisted of lava rocks, low cliff edge (5m), and fine/coarser sand beaches. Lagoon is very narrow and shallow and is of reefal sediments and coral rubbles. Seagrasses, microalgae and reef patches spotted the lagoon. The reef (barrier) is relatively narrow and gashed with a ‘deeps’ forming channel. The establishment of the fish reserve was aimed at offering a sanctuary or a refuge area for fish and other marine lives to reproduce uninterrupted. It is scientifically proved that fish reserves are vital components of fisheries management anticipating that nearby areas where resources were depleted and exhausted will repopulated through larval dispersal. The community-managed fish reserve was initially surveyed on the 28 July 1998 to collect baseline information.

In a region sometimes called ‘Oceania’, the health of the ocean is fundamental to the health of all aspects of the entire Pacific islands region. Marine pollution is widely recognised as one of the three major threats to the world’s oceans, along with habitat destruction and over-exploitation of living marine resources. Spills of oil and other chemicals into the marine environment, both from ships and land-based sources, are a significant source of pollution.