Customary Law Focus Of Serua Field Trip

Organisations which were part of the visit included: representatives from the Fijian Locally Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network, which helped facilitate the workshop Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources

Wildlife Conservation Society Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji

Ministry of iTaukei Affairs and iTaukei Land Trust Board. FLMMA co-ordinator Margaret Vakalalabure said the visit was in conjunction with the importance of customary law, a topic discussed with much interest during the workshop.

“One of the topics that we discussed was the management of marine resources with the use of customary laws, more specifically the management of MPAs,” Mrs Vakalalabure said.

“These marine reserves are completely managed by the villagers. So whenever they want to lift the fishing ban they can and, when they want to enforce it they do.” She said there were two other government gazetted tourism-based reserves in Fiji managed by hotel operators namely the Wakaya Marine Reserve and the Wainiyabia Shark Reserve, in Serua.

FELA Coordinator Kiji Vukikomoala said members hoped to have an interaction session with villagers about the challenges and successes experienced by the villagers and the opportunities available to them.

She said the association has a number of visits planned for the year, including a visit to two Tailevu villages where they have a number of association-funded initiatives.