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Freshwater ichthyofauna of the Pacific-Asia Biodiversity Transect (PABITRA) Gateway in Viti Levu, Fiji

Biodiversity Conservation

Boseto, David T.

Copeland, Lekima K. F.

Jenkins, Aaron P.

The freshwater ichthyofauna of the Fiji islands remained poorly documented before the establishment of the Pacific-Asia Biodiversity Transect (PABITRA) network. The PABITRA approach assesses biodiversity along ocean-to-mountain transects and promotes sustainable land use on islands across the Pacific. Multiple surveys of freshwater fish species along the Viti Levu PABITRA transect have contributed six new occurrence records and one new species to the known freshwater fishes of Fiji since 2002. In total, 21 indigenous species of fish (9% endemic) from 10 families and no introduced fishes were found in the three PABITRA sites. Diversity was highest (16 species) at Savura forest reserve and decreased further inland into Sovi and Wabu. The assemblage found is dominated by highly migratory species (95%) that traverse the different aquatic habitats (marine, estuarine, lowland and upland streams) covered by the PABITRA transect. This high degree of connectivity highlights several growing issues affecting aquatic fauna on the high island of Viti Levu. The reduction in forest cover along the gateway transects, especially in the terminal reaches, and infrastructure development such as dams and weirs have deleterious effects on the migration routes of the Fijian ichthyofauna. Several species collected are important food sources and have cultural totemic importance to local inhabitants along the vertical transect. This paper documents the ichthyofauna of the Fiji gateway transect, ecological characteristics of this assemblage, IUCN Redlist conservation assessment status and highlights factors affecting the fragility and resilience of these communities, particularly focusing on the importance of life-history patterns and watershed conditions.

Marine protection on the agenda at Pacific meeting of CITES members

Available Online

Donoghue, Mike

Samoa is playing play host to a regional meeting of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora this week. The gathering comes ahead of the global CITES conference in South Africa next month, and provides an opportunity to prepare an agenda on the most important issues facing the Pacific. Michael Donoghue, Adviser on Threatened and Migratory Species for SPREP, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program says regional concerns are centred on the protection of several important marine species.

FINPAC seeks to improve weather and warning services in the Pacific

SPREP Publications, Climate Change Resilience

Available Online

Leala-Gale, Christina

Finland is about as far away from the Pacific as you can get, but that country's government is funding a project to the tune of around five and a half million Australian dollars to deliver improved weather, climate and warning services to the region. Working with SPREP, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program, the FINPAC project which is targeting most of the Pacific Island states and territories is three-quarters of the way through its four year term. Project manager Christina Leala-Gale has been reflecting on what FINPAC has achieved over the first three years.

Fiji and Vanuatu still to tackle disaster waste from cyclones Winston and Pam

Waste Management and Pollution Control

Available Online

Williams, Stewart

One of the ongoing problems that Fiji faces in the aftermath of Cyclone Winston is the disposal of large amounts of disaster waste, and more than 17 months after Cyclone Pam, Vanuatu is still struggling with the same problem. It's an issue that's high on the agenda of the inaugural Clean Pacific Roundtable, and another post-disaster gathering that's going on in Fiji this week. Stewart Williams says it's important to act early, and in a more co-ordinated way than after Winston and other recent extreme weather events in the Pacific.

International review highlights impact of ocean acidification

Available Online

Moore, Tommy

The International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress continues in Hawai'i has just released a comprehensive review on the impact on humans and marine life of ocean warming, calling it one of this generation's greatest hidden challenges. Tommy Moore, from the Pacific Islands Global Ocean Observing System Officer at SPREP, says along with the impact of climate change, ocean acidification is already having a noticeable effect on the Pacific Ocean.

Niue receives training to manage environmental impacts from tourism

Available Online

Bradley, Melanie

New regulations governing environmental impact assessments on Niue are to be introduced soon. So ahead of time, a team from SPREP has been to the island to provide training. The aim is to ensure that those tasked with protecting the environment from the impact of future developments know how the assessment system works, and how to get the best out of it. SPREP's Environmental Planning Officer, Melanie Bradley was part of the group that trained up the Niueans, and she says the hope is the new regulations will help manage the impacts of increased tourism on the island.

niue

Battling Invasive Species in the Pacific: Outcomes of the Regional GEF-PAS IAS Project Prevention, control and management of invasive species in the Pacific islands

Biodiversity Conservation, BRB

Available Online

SPREP

Pacific islands intimately connect land and sea. Rats, cats, and other invasive species quickly destroy these links, particularly by predating on native forest seeds, forest birds, sea birds, and other vital ecosystem components. Effective management of invasive species is key to protect terrestrial and marine systems, supporting their function and increasing their resilience to change.

The Satoyama Development Mechanism (SDM) 2015

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

Booklet on the Satoyama Initiative - Satoyama Development Mechanism (SDM)

The Future of Our Ocean - Next steps and priorities

Global Ocean Commission

To accelerate progress towards reversing ocean degradation and drive the global system for ocean governance, the Commission calls upon UN Member States and all relevant stakeholders to agree a stand-alone Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for the global ocean, thus putting the global ocean front and centre in the post-2015 UN development agenda.

Preparatory Survey on the Project for Construction of Pacific Climate Change Centre in the Independent State of Samoa

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Small island countries, spread over the Pacific region, are extremely susceptible to natural disasters. Since concerns are growing that natural disaster may occur more frequently and become more intensified in the region in the future as climate change worsens, it is urgent and therefore important to establish a base inside the region and develop human resources in this field in order to respond to climate change and disaster prevention. Against this background, formulation of the "Strategy for Climate and Disaster Resilient Development in the Pacific (2017 to 2030)" is under way in the region led by international regional organizations and UNDP. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (hereinafter referred to as SPREP), the implementing body of the Project for Construction of Pacific Climate Change Centre, is an international agency established in 1993 by 26 countries and territories (including 14 island countries called Pacific Island Countries, or PICs) and the headquarters in Apia, the capital of Samoa. As one of the central agencies promoting regional-level efforts in the Pacific region for climate change, SPREP is making comprehensive efforts in the field, including the above development strategy, the formulation and implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in collaboration with donor agencies, and human resource development aimed at increasing its say on the international stage.

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