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The harvest of coastal resources for the aquarium trade provides important economic opportunities for Pacific Island countries. Of particular relevance is the trade in hard corals, for which exports are controlled under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The ornamental or curio coral trade has previously been the principal coral product exported from Fiji. With advances in technology allowing “mini-coral reef aquarium” hobby, there has been a growing market for live coral, both hard and soft, and a variety of other reef creatures notably clams and anemones. Live rock is an important part of the aquarium and has proved to be a growing market. Of the Seven companies are operating in Fiji, five export live coral, fish and live rock and two are concerned solely with curio coral export. The export of coral reef fishes and curio coral from Fiji has occurred for the last 16 years. The Live Rock industry has been operating for 7 years and live coral exports for 5 years.

The Palolo Deep Marine Reserve is a fringing reef encompassing a lagoon comprising a total area of 137.5 hectares. The area was initially folmalised as a Marine Reserve in 1974 under the National Parks and Reserves Act though no management plan had been prepared. This report is to provide a greater understanding of the marine environment within the Reserve. A basic inventor-v- and classification of the marine environment was undertaken together with provision for continued monitoring.