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This chapter explores the giant dam meat export experience of Fiji, Tonga and Westem Samoa. This is done by reporting on interviews conducted during fieldwork in these countries and by presenting secondary data. For Fiji, the introduction of an export ban for giant dam products meant the interruption of an (unsustainable) export of more than 30 tonnes of dam meat per year. A future dam mariculture industry could therefore look towards at least recapturing this share of the export market. Western Samoa and, to a lesser extent, Tonga have limited experience in dam export due to limited natural availability of dam stocks. In Tonga, there is however some commercial export taking place in the Vava'u group. For export purposes, the Vava'u group appears to be in a better position than the Ha'apai group because of favourable air links to overseas markets

Several mechanisms have been used to acquire land for tropical-forest reservations. Legislative designation of National Parks on government-owned land, condemnation of private land, debt swaps, and outright purchase of private lands for reserves may, however, be inappropriate strategies in areas occupied by extant indigenous populations. In areas where indigenous peoples have a strong conservation ethic, the creation of reserves under partial or complete aboriginal control represents a viable alternative to the more traditional forms of land acquisition. Recently, three significant rain-forest reserves were created in Samoa using alternative strategies. 1) A US National Park in American Samoa involves the long-term lease of customary lands with local chiefs forming an advisory board on park policy; 2) in the Falealupo peninsula in Western Samoa, a covenant was established between the villagers who pledged to preserve and manage a large rain forest and private donors who provided funds for the construction of an elementary school; 3) in Tafua, Western Samoa, a covenant was established between the village, which vowed to preserve and manage the forest, and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SNF) which provided funds for an elementary school and public works. These reserves suggest that under indigenous control robust solutions to the problems of rain-forest preservation can be achieved.

The coral reefs of Samoa are limited and fringing in nature due to past volcanic activities and subsequent sea level rise. The near-shore reef fisheries are degraded, however, they continue to provide for the well being of the people. The coral reef systems have recovered considerably since the cyclones in the early 1990s, with healthy and lush coral diversity seen in many reef front areas. The current knowledge of the marine biodiversity is inadequate with past studies largely undertaken by foreign scientists. The marine flora is better known that the fauna, however the fishes of Samoa have been thoroughly documented. Of the known species, the fishes consist of 991 species, benthic algae 287 species, coastal littoral plants 76, 3 mangrove communities, 2 seagrass species and 3 marine turtles. A number of target species for fisheries have declined over the years which include marine turtles, giant clams, giant triton, grey mullets, milkfish, and mangrove crabs. There are no known endemic or rare organisms, which may be partly attributed to the lack of knowledge on the marine biodiversity. There is only one extinct species known, the giant clam Hippopus hippopus, with shell s and shell fragments found in some parts of Samoa.

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.

In the past two years the local communities on Rarotonga, Cook Islands, have tried to stop islanders from fishing in some coral reefs areas by creating traditional no-fishing zones, known to the locals as Ra’ui. The Ra’ui primarily protects the reef from many people walking and collecting shellfish, octopus, and other organisms, and therefore helps restock the lagoon fish. Locals want to maintain the restricted areas for conservation purposes.

Tourism is big business. Internationally it is the second largest industry behind oil, while in New Zealand it is the sixth largest sector in the economy. The importance of tourism is noted by the Government and others: at last year's Economic Summit Conference, the then President of the Manufacturers' Federation, Earl Richardson, termed the industry "the sleeping giant" of the economy. At the same conference, a tourism spokesman predicted the number of overseas visitors could increase from 583, 000 to one million by 1990.

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.

Mangrove ecosystems are threatened by climate change. We review the state of knowledge of mangrove vulnerability and responses to predicted climate change and consider adaptation options. Based on available evidence, of all the climate change outcomes, relative sea-level rise may be the greatest threat to mangroves. Most mangrove sediment surface elevations are not keeping pace with sea-level rise, although longer term studies from a larger number of regions are needed. Rising sea-level will have the greatest impact on mangroves experiencing net lowering in sediment elevation, where there is limited area for landward migration. The Pacific Islands mangroves have been demonstrated to be at high risk of substantial reductions. There is less certainty over other climate change outcomes and mangrove responses. More research is needed on assessment methods and standard indicators of change in response to effects from climate change, while regional monitoring networks are needed to observe these responses to enable educated adaptation. Adaptation measures can offset anticipated mangrove losses and improve resistance and resilience to climate change. Coastal planning can adapt to facilitate mangrove migration with sea-level rise. Management of activities within the catchment that affect long-term trends in the mangrove sediment elevation, better management of other stressors on mangroves, rehabilitation of degraded mangrove areas, and increases in systems of strategically designed protected area networks that include mangroves and functionally linked ecosystems through representation, replication and refugia, are additional adaptation options.

Fish is a mainstay of food secuity for Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs), Recent household income and expenditure surveys, and socio-economic surveys, demostrate that subsistence fishing still provides the great majority of dietary animal protein in the region. Forecasts of the fish required in 2030 to meet recommended per capita fish consumption, or to maintain current consumption, indicate that even well-managed coastal fisheries will only be able to meet the demand in 6 0f 22 PICTs. Governments of many PICTs will need to increase local access to tuna, and develop small-pond aquaculture, to provide food security. Diversifying the supply of fish will also make rural households in the Pacific more resilient to natural disasters, social and political instability, and the uncertainity of climate change

Faunal and floral material from seven excavated sites on Uahuka and Nuku hiva Islands was quantitatively analysed in order to provide an outline of adaptations in the Marquesan economic system from CA 300 to 1800 AD. A primary shift occurred during the Developmental Period from marine-oriented hunting and gathering techniques to terrestrially-oriented agricultural and animal husbandry practices. This shift may have been caused by a combination of demographic factors and by the over-exploitation of marine resources. A number of rapid and drastic changes in the Marquesan ecology as a result of human activity are also indicated.