28 November 2024, Port Vila, Vanuatu – The launch of Vanuatu’s National Plan of Action (NPOA) for Seabirds, Sharks and Marine Turtles 2024 – 2028 in Port Vila on Thursday, 28 November 2024 brings new hope for these important and highly threatened marine species.
The NPOA development was supported through the SPREP-led By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden. It aims to protect, conserve and manage populations of seabirds, sharks and marine turtles and their natural habitats over the next five years and meet Vanuatu’s obligations under regional and international agreements.
The launch of the NPOA was a joint undertaking of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB) and the Ministry of Climate Change Adaptation, Meteorology and Geo-Hazards, Energy, Environment and Natural Disaster Management (MOCC).
Special Envoy for Climate Change and Environment, Ralph Regenvanu, launched the NPOA on behalf of the two Ministries. The launch event was also attended by representatives from Vanuatu agencies, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), tertiary institutions, and non-profit organisations. Special guests included Chief Noel Kaibaba from Bamboo Bay and Chief Konel Nihapi from Wiawi Bay communities in Malekula Island, who represented communities actively involved in grassroots conservation activities.
Seabirds, sharks and marine turtles are important species in the marine food-chain, and they help maintain marine ecosystem health. Some species of turtles, seabirds, and sharks and rays are a source of food security, livelihoods, and cultural connections to communities across Vanuatu. All species of marine turtles and many sharks and seabirds are threatened with extinction. Vanuatu’s waters host 28 species of sharks listed in the Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species (CITES) list. All turtle species are threatened; three species are known to nest in Vanuatu.
The main threats in Vanuatu are from incidental by-catch in commercial offshore fisheries as well as in coastal and artisanal fisheries. Despite protection measures and controls, harvesting of sharks and turtles is still prevalent. Sharks are the target of fishing effort in some localities, while turtles and their eggs and the chicks of some seabirds are also used by communities for food. Without effective control measures, such harvesting activities can lead to overexploitation which threaten the survival of these marine species.
The NPOA outlines a series of management measures to address these threats to seabirds, sharks and marine turtles in all the habitats they use, including the pelagic ocean, the coastal areas or, in the case of seabirds and turtles, on land. It recognises the fisheries sector is an important contributor to the national economy, and the management measures proposed aim to reduce incidental by-catch from fishing activities whilst minimising the impact on government revenue collection.
In his statement, former Minister of MALFFB, now Caretaker Minister of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, the Hon. Xavier Harry commended the NPOA and said, “This National Plan of Action is a testament of Vanuatu’s commitment towards the sustainable management and conservation of endangered species, and so I encourage all our staff and partners to strengthen their cooperation to ensure the effective and full implementation of the Plan.”
The Minister emphasised the urgent need for action at the national level, local level and at the community level to stop or reduce further mortality and loss, and for recovery and sustainability of these species’ populations.
Special Envoy Regenvanu said, “The call to protect our critical and endangered species is important now more than ever especially with the growing impacts of climate change on our people and the environment.”
The launch event was a vibrant affair, celebrating the deep living cultural values associated with seabirds, sharks and marine turtles for the peoples of Vanuatu.
The Manuringoana Cultural Dance Group performed a Koroliko (wedge-tailed shearwater) dance from Tongoa Island in the Shepard Islands.
Vanuatu poet, Telstar Jimmy recited a poem she especially crafted for the event: The Ocean is My Ally, which highlights the intrinsic importance of oceans, seabirds, sharks and turtles for Vanuatu people.
Edgar Hinge from the Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta carried out a sand drawing ceremony from North Pentecost. His sand drawings of the three species also feature in the national plan of action to signify their cultural importance.
The NPOA targets a wide range of stakeholders, including Vanuatu flagged vessels operating outside Vanuatu’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), foreign and local commercial fishers, traditional and subsistence fishers, game fishers and tourism operators, and communities living close to important habitats for seabirds, sharks and turtles.
“While responsibility for delivering this plan lies with the Vanuatu Fisheries Department, some activities overlap with the responsibilities of other government departments. To improve collaboration and partnerships, each activity in this plan is assigned a lead organisation responsible for actioning the activity,” says Kalo Pakoa, Vanuatu BIEM Country Manager.
The NPOA articulates eight overarching priorities. They include research and monitoring, threat reduction, reviewing and strengthening legislation, improving compliance, protecting critical ecosystems and habitats, developing a sustainable tourism model that will benefit these species, strengthening education and communications, and collaboration at all levels - nationally, regionally and globally.
The NPOA was prepared for the Vanuatu Fisheries Department (VFD) by the Vanuatu Environmental Science Society (VESS), SPREP, and TierraMar in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other stakeholders.
The BIEM Initiative is working to ensure project activities and outcomes contribute to national objectives and meeting the needs of coastal communities around the Pacific.
“SPREP through the BIEM Initiative is very happy to have supported the VFD, DEPC and the government of Vanuatu with the resources to develop this national plan of action. It will help conserve and protect three critical species in our region,” SPREP BIEM Project Manager, Ken Kassem concluded.
The PEUMP Programme addresses some of the most serious challenges faced by the region. Among these are the increasing depletion of coastal fisheries resources; the threats to marine biodiversity, including negative impacts of climate change and natural disasters; the uneven contribution of oceanic fisheries to national economic development; the need for improved education and training in the fisheries sector; and the need to mainstream a rights-based approach and to promote greater recognition of gender issues within the sector.
This seven-year programme is funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden. The programme provides direct assistance to regional organisations to support regional and national level activities in the Pacific.
Download the NPOA for Vanuatu HERE.