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Research for this study was carried out under a two-year project to support the implementation of Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) at two catchment-to-reef sites on Vanua Levu, Fiji. While the original scope of the study was to draw on lessons from community monitoring of infringements within their marine protected area (MPA) networks, efforts to assist communities to keep regular records of non-compliance met with numerous challenges. Because of the limited community monitoring data, the report has changed in scope to discuss some of the root causes of non-compliance with fisheries regulations within the traditional fishing grounds (qoliqoli) of Kubulau District and Macuata Province.

Research for this study was carried out under a four-year project to assist communities in Kubulau district and Macuata Province of Vanua Levu to establish networks of marine protected areas within their large, traditional fishing grounds (qoliqoli). From 2005-2009, underwater visual census (UVC) surveys of fish size and abundance and benthic habitat condition were carried out at 5 MPAs in Kubulau (2 small, village-managed (tabu) areas: Yamotu Lase, Nakali; 3 large, district-managed no-take MPAs: Namena, Namuri, Nasue), while 3 large tabu areas were surveyed in Macuata qoliqoli in 2008 (Cakaulevu, Talai-i-Lau, Vatuka). Reef fish species richness was surveyed in Kubulau in 2009 and compared against values observed from the Great Sea Reef in Macuata in 2004.