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The research agreement signed on 19th December 2005 by the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), the University Paul Sabatier (Toulouse III) and Nantes University, the Pharmacochemical laboratories of Natural Substances and Pharmacophores Redox (UMR 1165) and the Centre of Maritime and Ocean Law (EA 1165, CDMO) led to the international research program “Coral Reef Initiatives for the Pacific” (CRISP). Within the CRISP program, the research work was incorporated under component 2C: Bioprospection and marine active substances, CDMO being in charge of the section: Legal aspects related to the valorization of marine biodiversity

FAME (SPC Division of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems) main's work is to provide the 22 SPC's member countries and territories with the information they need to make informed decisions on the management and development of their aquatic resources, and help to provide the tools and strengthen the capacity needed to implement these decisions.

The Fiji Islands is a country rich in marine biodiversity. Fiji is also home to a large Indigenous population with a powerful heritage which is culturally and spiritually connected with the ocean. Many Indigenous people continue to live a largely traditional lifestyle adhering to customary laws and practices. The fisheries sector is a significant contributor to both the national economy and local livelihoods. Therefore, marine resources must be sustainably managed to care for the ecosystems and also the livelihoods which depend upon them. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an important management tool for Fiji in the quest to protect its inshore and offshore ocean environment.

The Pacific region has benefited from a number of regional and national programmes to both assess the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and develop programmes to adapt to climate change. Such programmes are critical considering that the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1/ states that the Pacific region has already experienced temperature increases of as much as 1°C since 1910. Furthermore, studies found more than a doubling m the number of category 4 and 5 storms in the South-West Pacific from the period 1975-1989 to the period 1990-2004. Future predicted impacts of climate change in the Pacific call for increased beach erosion, a loss of sea-turtle nesting sites, more frequent coral-bleaching events, increased exposure to invasive alien species and increased cyclone-induced tree mortality and flooding.

Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity requires each Party to develop or adapt national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and to integrate, as far as possible and as appropriate, the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies.

1. Article 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity/ requires each Party to develop or adapt national strategies, plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and to integrate, as far as possible and as appropriate, the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies.