Fiji: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Mangubhai, Sangeeta; Sykes, Helen; Lovell, Edward R.; Brodie, Gilianne D.; Jupiter, Stacy D.; Morris, Cherie W.; Lee, Steven; Loganimoce, Epeli; Rashni, Bindiya; Lal, Ronal; Nand, Yashika; Qauqau, Ingrid

doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-100853-9.00044-0

Cited by 20 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Fiji is one of the most developed economies in the Pacific with the highest rate of urbanisation (50 %) in the region ( Mangubhai et al, 2019 ). Fiji’s economy is highly dependent on foreign aid, international trade, and tourism ( IFC, 2018 ; Gounder, 2020 ; Reserve Bank of Fiji, 2020a ); for example, tourism income totaled around US$ 900 million (17.2 % of GDP) in 2019 ( Sherzad, 2020 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While 88 % of the land is owned by Indigenous Fijian ( iTaukei ) communities, inshore waters (foreshore to the outer reef edge) are subject to a dual system of management under both customary and statutory laws ( Mangubhai et al, 2019 ). There are 411 registered fishing grounds within which iTaukei communities have customary fishing access and use rights.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Politics of vulnerability: Impacts of COVID-19 and Cyclone Harold on Indo-Fijians engaged in small-scale fisheries

Mangubhai¹,

Nand²,

Reddy³

et al. 2021

Environmental Science & Policy

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The global COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of our health, social, and economic systems. While responding to the health crisis, governments are scrambling to understand and address the knock-on economic effects from market disruptions, and respond to other major disturbances (e.g. natural disasters). We conducted 61 key informant interviews with Indo-Fijian small-scale fisheries (SSF) actors (i.e. fishers, boat owners (that may or may not fish), crew members, and traders) in May 2020, two months after Fiji got its first case of COVID-19 and a month after Cyclone Harold hit the country. We examined how these SSF groups whose access to resources depends on their ability to navigate existing social relations of power, have lived through, experienced, and responded to the two stresses. We found the main impact of COVID-19 on SSF actors was the reduction in sales of fish (73.8 % of respondents) likely a result of reduction in local consumption and/or the loss of tourism markets. Loss of purchasing power meant almost a fifth of Indo-Fijian SSF actors interviewed (comprising 44.4 % of crew members, 16.4 % fishers, 11.5 % boat owners, 8.3 % traders) were unable to obtain sufficient food to meet their families’ daily needs. Many of these SSF actors do not have access to social security or similar safety nets leaving them vulnerable to the current crisis as well as to other shocks and changes. Furthermore, social inequities and power relations surrounding access to fisheries resources and government aid contributed to their vulnerability to economic stresses from COVID-19 and a severe cyclone. An understanding of early impacts of COVID-19 on SSF through an intersectional lens can assist decision-makers to quickly mobilise assistance to help people who are most vulnerable, and avoid widening inequities among social groups.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Politics of vulnerability: Impacts of COVID-19 and Cyclone Harold on Indo-Fijians engaged in small-scale fisheries

Mangubhai¹,

Nand²,

Reddy³

et al. 2021

Environmental Science & Policy

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“…In the Pacific Islands, only the non-independent nations of Palau (NOAA, 2007) and two French Territories of the Pacific, New Caledonia (Payri et al, 2019) and Wallis and Futuna (Hily et al, 2010), have reliable national estimates of seagrass area coverage and seagrasses are a data-poor habitat type for marine spatial planning in the southwest Pacific (Beger et al, 2020). The nation-based seagrass area cover estimates provided in Waycott et al (2011) should be treated with caution as seagrass cover estimates for Fiji are illogically low (Mangubhai et al, 2019).…”

Section: Seagrasses Occurrence and National Resource Quantification Imentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Fiji, the main threats to seagrass habitat are considered to be: sediment and nutrient runoff from human-altered water catchments (via agriculture, forestry, and mining); residential, industrial, and tourism development; improper disposal of waste; sewage pollution; coastal erosion; storm surge and flooding (McKenzie and Yoshida, 2010;Mangubhai et al, 2019). Around many coastal areas, in particular Nadi, the Coral Coast and the Mamanuca Islands, excavation of channels for resort developments have disturbed and destroyed seagrass habitat, and led to water column turbidity (Mangubhai et al, 2019). In Vanuatu, seagrasses have been shown to be in better condition in locations away from urban centres i.e., areas with lower nutrient waste and with lower coastal development (CMEP, 2019, Lincoln et al this special volume).…”

Section: Human Disturbance and Catchment Management Impacts On Seagramentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly logging is a major threat to seagrass in the Solomon Islands (McKenzie et al, 2006) and the impacts of logging on coastal and freshwater fisheries and food security on the island of Malaita in the Solomon Islands (Minter et al, 2018) where more than 50% of the Solomon Island seagrass is found (Moseby et al, 2020), clearly demonstrates the serious impacts of land degradation on coastal ecosystems and the imperative need for planning and catchment management as well as research data collection. There is a well-recognised need for integrated management of coastal ecosystems including management of hydrologic flows, land use planning and nutrient management while simultaneously managing whole ecosystem assemblages (Guannel et al, 2016;Macreadie et al, 2017;Mcleod et al, 2019;Mangubhai et al, 2019). Poor catchment management and unplanned coastal development could reduce seagrass habitat resilience and lessen adaptation to rising sea-levels (Montefalcone et al, 2011;Short et al, 2011).…”

Section: Human Disturbance and Catchment Management Impacts On Seagramentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seagrasses and seagrass habitats in Pacific small island developing states: Potential loss of benefits via human disturbance and climate change

Brodie

Holland

N’Yeurt

et al. 2020

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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Seagrasses provide a wide range of services including food provision, water purification and coastal protection. Pacific small island developing states (PSIDS) have limited natural resources, challenging economies and a need for marine science research. Seagrasses occur in eleven PSIDS and nations are likely to benefit in different ways depending on habitat health, habitat cover and location, and species presence. Globally seagrass habitats are declining as a result of anthropogenic impacts including climate change and in PSIDS pressure on already stressed coastal ecosystems, will likely threaten seagrass survival particularly close to expanding urban settlements. Improved coastal and urban planning at local, national and regional scales is needed to reduce human impacts on vulnerable coastal areas. Research is required to generate knowledge-based solutions to support effective coastal management and protection of the existing seagrass habitats, including strenghened documentation the socioeconomic and environmental services they provide. For PSIDS, protection of seagrass service benefits requires six priority actions: seagrass habitat mapping, regulation of coastal and upstream development, identification of specific threats at vulnerable locations, a critique of cost-effective restoration options, research devoted to seagrass studies and more explicit policy development.

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Essential waters: Young bull sharks in Fiji's largest riverine system

Glaus

Brunnschweiler

Piovano

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Coastal and estuarine systems provide critical shark habitats due to their relatively high productivity and shallow, protected waters. The young (neonates, young‐of‐the‐year, and juveniles) of many coastal shark species occupy a diverse range of habitats and areas where they experience environmental variability, including acute and seasonal shifts in local salinities and temperatures. Although the location and functioning of essential shark habitats has been a focus in recent shark research, there is a paucity of data from the South Pacific. In this study, we document the temporal and spatial distribution, age class composition, and environmental parameters of young bull sharks ( Carcharhinus leucas ) in the Rewa, Sigatoka, and Navua Rivers, Fiji's three largest riverine systems. One hundred and seventy‐two young bull sharks were captured in fisheries‐independent surveys from January 2016 to April 2018. The vast majority of the captures were neonates. Seasonality in patterns of occurrence of neonate individuals suggests a defined parturition period during summer. Environmental parameters between the Rewa and the Sigatoka River differed significantly, as did the recorded young bull sharks abundance. According to the surveys, young bull sharks occur in all three rivers with the Rewa River likely representing essential habitat for newly born bull sharks. These results enhance the understanding of bull shark ecology in Fiji and provide a scientific basis for the implementation of local conservation strategies that contribute to the protection of critical habitats.

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Fiji: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Cited by 20 publications

References 56 publications

Politics of vulnerability: Impacts of COVID-19 and Cyclone Harold on Indo-Fijians engaged in small-scale fisheries

Politics of vulnerability: Impacts of COVID-19 and Cyclone Harold on Indo-Fijians engaged in small-scale fisheries

Seagrasses and seagrass habitats in Pacific small island developing states: Potential loss of benefits via human disturbance and climate change

Essential waters: Young bull sharks in Fiji's largest riverine system

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