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The economic valuation of coral reefs ecosystem services is currently seen as a promising approach to demonstrate the benefits of sustainable management of coral ecosystems to policymakers and to provide useful information for improved decisions. Most coral reefs economic studies have been conducted in the United States, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, and only a few have covered the South Pacific region. In this region, coral reefs are essential assets for small island developing states as well as for developed countries. Accordingly, a series of ecosystem services valuations has been carried out recently in the South Pacific, to try and supply decision-makers with new information.

Nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus) is an introduced low-value freshwater fish in the Pacific which can easily adapt to a wide variety of breeding environments. However, this fresh water fish has limited scope for consumption in the fresh form in Pacific Island countries like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Tilapia could be used to alleviate food security issues in light of the increasing fishing pressure and climate change threats

Fish aggregating devices, more commonly called FADs, are anchored or drifting objects that are put in the ocean to attract fish. Tuna and other fish gather around FADs, which makes it easier to find and catch them. Fish also aggregate under drifting logs and even whales, and rules on fishing around FADs often apply to all objects drifting on or near the sea surface, which attract fish.

Solomon Islands is the eastern most range of the Coral Triangle, the global epicenter of marine biodiversity. Coral reefs play an important role in the lives of Solomon Islanders for both direct and indirect benefits. In this report we describe the coral reefs of Solomon Islands and what is currently known about aspects of its biota, the utilisation, governance and management of coral reefs and related marine resources and ongoing coral reef conservation issues and initiatives.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is the largest Pacific Island country in total land area (some 460,000 square kilometers (sq km) and second in respect to ocean area (some 3 million sq km within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). PNG’s population of over some 6 million people is sparsely distributed: population density strands at about 9 people per sq km which is the lowest in the south pacific region

PACC reports

Energy consumption in Cook Islands is predominantly reliant on imported fossil fuels, which roughly accounts for over 99% of the country’s energy consumption. In 2009, around 12.7 million litres of diesel, 4.2 million litres of petrol, and 9.7 million litres of kerosene were imported into the country. The recorded fuel import bill stood in the vicinity of USD 57.8 million dollars with a current GDP of USD 209.8 million dollars. Petroleum fuels are supplied to Cook Islands by Mobil, Pacific Energy and Total. Triad purchases fuel from Pacific Energy for distribution within the country. Petroleum products are mainly imported from Australia and Singapore via Fiji, using local coastal tankers, to bulk storage in Rarotonga. Diesel fuel for electricity generation accounted for 7.2 million litres in 2009. Most of the kerosene and petrol imported is used for air and land transport respectively. Please click on the country name below to download the profile.

The 15 islands of the Cook Islands have been occupied by its native maori people since the great Pacific migrations in large voyaging canoes or VakaMoana, which took place fromthe Polynesian homeland of Avaiki4, possibly since 500-600AD. The deep and wide waters connecting these islands have always been used as highways and for the resources they contain. Our people developed a distinct Polynesian perspective, language, lifestyle and culture.