Conditions for success
Conditions for the success of coastal resource
management projects such as this include:
· Both provincial and community agreement
Australasian
is required for coastal resource management
decisions i.e. co-management.
· Decisions must be based on robust scientific
Centre of Excellence
information.
· Management of resources must be linked to
community capacity and expectations, and the
ability to manage and monitor the resources.
· Management of coastal resources must be
linked to land-based management.
· Dependence on external expertise must be
reduced so that responsibility lies with local
communities and the provincial government.
If communities have the confidence to run a
project, they will better sustain the activity.
· Mechanisms for on-going engagement need to
be established through the provision of advice
(e.g. mentoring and training), and through
the establishment of linkages with national or
provincial government activities such as fisheries
or environment management plans.
Solomon Islands and Makira Province
Managing marine resources at the
About the
local level - Makira Province, Solomon Islands
Centre of Excellence
The Coral Reef Targeted Research & Capacity
bodies with equal authority, including councils of
The Coral Reef Targeted Research &
Capacity Building for Management
Building for Management (CRTR) Program's
chiefs, women, youth, ecumenical, conservation
Program (CRTR) is a leading
Australasian Centre of Excellence (CoE) has worked
and biodiversity, as well as the Kahua Development
The CRTR Program's Australasian Centre of Excellence
international coral reef research
initiative that provides a coordinated
with the Kahua Association in the Makira-Ulawa
Corporation. It is ideally set up for promoting
(CoE) is based at the Centre for Marine Studies at the
Further Information
approach to credible, factual and
Province in the Solomon Islands to determine
participatory development at the local level.
University of Queensland, Brisbane, with its research
scientifically-proven knowledge for
Project Executing Agency
station situated at the Heron Island Research Station
improved coral reef management.
coastal impacts and prioritise an action list on how
Coral Reef Targeted Research
the community can work towards reducing these
& Capacity Building for
on the Great Barrier Reef. Heron Island is a 16 hectare,
The CRTR Program is a proactive
About the CRTR Local Government Initiative
Management Program
densely forested sand cay, on the leeward edge of
research and capacity building
impacts. This project is part of the CRTR Program's
C/- Centre for Marine Studies
partnership that aims to lay the
The Coral Reef Targeted Research & Capacity
Local Government Initiative.
The University of Queensland
a flourishing platform of coral reef. Bisected by the
foundation in filling crucial knowledge
Building for Management (CRTR) Program's Local
St Lucia QLD 4072
Tropic of Capricorn, Heron Reef is home to around
gaps in the core research areas of Coral
Australia
Bleaching, Connectivity, Coral Diseases,
Makira Province
Government Initiative (LGI) aimed to reach out to local
900 of the 1500 species of fish and around 72% of
Coral Restoration and Remediation,
governments and communities associated with the
Telephone: +61 7 3346 9942
the coral species found in the Great Barrier Reef.
Kahua comprises West and East Wanione of Makira-
Remote Sensing and Modeling and
Facsimile: +67 7 3365 4755
Decision Support.
Ulawa Province on the remote island of Makira,
four Centres of Excellence to share new knowledge
Email: info@gefcoral.org
The CoE comprises a number of leading internationally
Solomon Islands. This region has approximately
about threats to their coral reefs and the measures
recognised researchers and scholars who are working
Each of these research areas are
The CRTR Program is a partnership
facilitated by Working Groups
4000 people in both coastal and upland villages,
that can be taken locally to address these, in order
between the Global Environment
in the areas of climate change impacts on coastal and
underpinned by the skills of many of the
Facility, The World Bank, The University of
predominantly living a subsistence existence.
to strengthen coral reef policy and management.
marine ecosystems; coastal zone management; coral
world's leading coral reef researchers.
Queensland (Australia), the United States
The CRTR also supports four Centers of
Infrastructure within Kahua is very limited, with
Within this framework the LGI aimed to:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
physiology and disease; remote sensing; modelling
Excellence in priority regions, serving as
Administration (NOAA) and approximately
and decision support; and reef ecology.
no roads or telephone communications and only
important regional centers for building
· Raise awareness about good management
50 research institutes and other
confidence and skills in research,
a few portable generators.
third-parties around the world.
practices in their region
training and capacity building.
The Kahua Association (KA) is a registered
· Interpret research findings for the benefit
The CRTR Program is a partnership
grassroots charitable organisation, and is a local
between the Global Environment
of local resource managers
governance structure which works in collaboration
Facility, the World Bank, The University
of Queensland (Australia), the
with the Makira Provincial Governor. It was formed
· Partner with local governments to help bring their
United States National Oceanic and
to promote sustainable development and more
policies and business practices in line with those
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and
approximately 50 research institutes and
effective resource management through community
factors essential to maintaining coral reef health
other third parties around the world.
actions. The KA is made up of a team of four
and productivity.
October 2009
executives and an extended network of subordinate
Product code: CRTR 007/2009

Coastal and marine resources stocktake
Following the invitation from the KA, and working closely with the members
and village communities, the CRTR Australasian CoE team undertook a
rapid survey of the coastal and marine resources of Kahua. This investigation
involved a number of community meetings and qualitative underwater
surveys along the coast from Rama in Western Kahua to Pehuru in the east.
Observations from the survey included:
Economic drivers
Use of marine resources
The economic drivers of coastal resource use were subsistence
Fishing was mainly for subsistence, although each village
fishing, reef gleaning and collection of coral for the production
reported sighting large tuna vessels offshore in particular
of lime. No commercial fishing operations were presently
seasons. There was no indication of any resource use conflicts
operating in the villages surveyed. No villages had power to
between the subsistence fishers and the offshore commercial
generate refrigeration units and there are no significant local
fishers. There was no evidence to suggest that the commercial
markets in the region.
fishers are impacting on the subsistence catch, although a
more comprehensive survey should be considered at a
provincial level.
State of the environment
The state of the coastal environment can be described as
`intact' which is a reflection of the historically low levels of
human population in the district, the lack of any commercial
forestry operation, and the absence of mining or extensive
agriculture either on the coastal plateau or in the high hills.
Land-based impacts on coastal resources would come from
elevated nutrient levels from the human and pig populations,
sediment loads from the (small) agricultural plots, and the use
of mosquito spray as a fishing method in the streams.
Level of fishing effort
The level of fishing effort was determined using indicators
of size and the power of fishing vessels, gear type and the
number of people involved. The level of fishing effort during
the survey period can be described as `low'. This could be a
reflection on the amount of fish stock available to the villages
in the near-shore area and as there are no structured markets
in the Province there is no commercial outlet that demands
large quantities of finfish, crayfish or shellfish.
Level of existing capacity
The communities visited are located close to narrow fringing
coral reefs. Most people interviewed had no real measure
of the condition of the corals over time (i.e. if the reef was
in decline or not), although at each community meeting the
general opinion was that the catch had declined in recent
times. There is a strong desire of individuals within the region
to better understand the biology of the corals and reef fish.
Photos: Glen Holmes and Geoff Dews

Coastal and marine resources stocktake
Environmental damage
Only one isolated site indicated any obvious elevated level
of pollutants and environmental damage. This site was in a
section of a river near a Pehuru village (Eastern Kahua), close
to a community and a pig-holding yard. The site had a layer
of dense green algae on the riverbed indicating high levels
of nitrogen and phosphate.
Community action
The community is taking decisive action on these
recommendations.
Discussions with the KA president, Mr Jude-Edward Hagasua,
and the Biodiversity and Conservation Council identified
the region between Rama community and Kahua Point as
ideal for the establishment of a pilot no-take area. This four
kilometre region of protected coastline is predominantly
comprised of a rocky inter-tidal shelf where the women of the
local communities (from Rama to Huni) collect shellfish. It was
also suggested that the pilot project be established in such
Recommendations
a way as to require minimal external expertise. This proposal
was approved by members of the KA. The Biodiversity and
for sustainability
Conservation Council is to undertake a community consultation
process so that full community agreement can be reached prior
As a result of the survey, the CRTR CoE team recommended
to implementation (a process that may take six months).
three measures that the KA could coordinate to help improve
Once agreement is reached among the communities, three
the sustainability of the region's marine resources:
sites will be selected (by the communities) and designated
1. Introduce an education program into the region's schools,
as taboo areas for collecting shellfish. Each site will be
through the provision of teaching texts, so that future
approximately 100m in length.
generations better understand the marine environment
In conjunction with the establishment of the taboo areas
2. Establish no-take (taboo) areas for shellfish collection
for shellfish collection, the communities will also begin a
monitoring program to measure the change (if any) in the
3. Begin a simple monitoring program to establish a baseline
volume of shellfish. This will be through a count of the number
for the amount of marine resources harvested.
and frequency of women collecting shellfish and amount
(a standard volume) of shellfish collected.
The KA will distribute educational materials provided by
the team to schools within Kahua as teaching aids.