Search the SPREP Catalogue

Three mangrove restoration methods were tested at Nu'uuli, Tutuila island, American Samoa. Since cleaning 27 years ago converted the mangrove into a mudflat, the ecosystem showed no natural regrowth despite an ample supply of propagules.

In general, leatherback turtles face serious threats at all life stages, both on the beaches where they nest and hatch and in the water where they spend most of their life time. Sea turtle eggs are collected for food, while in some areas juveniles and adults are hunted for their meat and oil. Habitats that are keys to their survival are rapidly being degraded due to coastal development. They are also killed in great numbers as incidental catch, or by catch, in fisheries. As eggs and hatchlings, turtles are subject to significant predation from introduced predators, such as foxes and wild pigs, as well as natural predators.

There are 51 small island developing states which, in spite of their geographical and cultural diversity, share similar economic and sustainable development challenges including low availability of resources, a small but rapidly growing population, remoteness, susceptibility to natural disasters, excessive dependence on international trade and vulnerability to global developments. SIDS also have to contend with a lack of economies of scale, high transportation and communication costs, and costly public administration and infrastructure.