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This video highlights some of the processes, partnerships, and successes of the BIEM Initiative. The BIEM Initiative was KRA 5 of the Pacific European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) programme funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden

In July 2022, a Ni-Vanuatu team of scientists from Eco Lifelihood Development Association, Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation DEPC, Department of Forests-Vanuatu, The University of the South Pacific & Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme - SPREP with communications support from Savvy Vanuatu went to west Malekula to conduct a Biological Rapid Assessment (BIORAP) on the plant and animal species found in the area.

In this video, Frazer Alo, Malampa Environment Extension Officer, and Thomas Doro, the Acting Herbarium Curator at the Department of Forestry, explain the process of surveying plants in the field and why this is important.

To improve understanding of the impact of communities on their natural ecosystems, land use surveys conducted in the three Key Biodiveristy Areas (KBA) of West Malekula: Wiawi, Bamboo Bay and Tisiri Lagoon.

Ornithologist Andrew Morris joined the Biological Rapid Assessment (BIORAP) team to Malekula to lead the bird study in Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in July 2022. Bird species were identified by listening to bird calls, audio recordings, visual sighting, and photographs taken with special bird cameras. In the KBAs, the key bird species found include the Vanuatu Kingfisher, Vanuatu Streak Fantail, and Vanuatu White Eye.

SPREP is implementing the By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative, supporting ocean resource management and species conservation in the Pacific region. BIEM is Key Result Area 5 of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) programme funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden. This presentation was compiled for World Oceans Day 2021 to showcase some of our current projects. For more detail on the BIEM Initiative, visit www.peump.dev.

Jamie Daves will introduce the PEUMP Programme and the By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative before introducing DR. Pilcher.After his presentation he will be joined by a panel of experts to secure their views on how the assessment can be improved and used to ensure that the assessment provides a strong foundation to strengthen national and regional conservation and management efforts to reduce extinction risk of these iconic species. This will be followed by a short Q&A session with D. Pilcher and panel members who will represent the Pacific government agency, national turtle monitoring network, turtle harvesting and sales researcher the Pacific Community (SPC) and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)