The Republic of Fiji is an archipelago of more than 330 islands of which 110 are permanently inhabited. Most people live on two islands—Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. It has an exclusive economic zone of about 1.3 million km2.In 2014 Fiji committed to designate by 2020 30% of its marine waters as ecologically-representative networks of MPAs. Each MPA will be zoned according to prescribed activities that will and will not be permitted. The departments of Environment and Fisheries are working together to define Fiji’s marine priority areas for consideration in their ocean-wide planning for marine protected areas. A Marine Working Group has been formed under the Environmental Management Act; an MPA Technical Committee under the Offshore Fisheries Management Decree. Work to date includes development of a work plan, a vision statement and objectives defined, authority established, data collection begun, and special marine areas described.
The government is supported by Wildlife Conservation Society and the Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in Pacific Island Countries (MACBIO) project being implemented by Pacific Island countries, GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and IUCN-Oceania with support from SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme). Financial support ifrom the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.
Updates will be posted on this website as MSP activities in Fiji develop.