Marine Life & Conservation
Tribal Communities In The Solomon Islands Create Marine Conservation Areas
Katupika communities have created what is thought to be the biggest network of marine reserves in Choiseul Province in the Solomon Islands following the addition of four new sites to existing Managed Marine Areas governed by the Lauru Land Conference of Tribal Communities.
The new areas are Kukuru, Malanguni, Tarapae and Karago. All these sites are in the south east of the province and are owned by different clans. However, each comes from the same Volekana ‘mother tribe’.
This month a team consisting of three conservation practitioners from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) made a 10-day trip to Katupika communities in south east Choiseul to conduct training for 18 biological monitors from the villages of Ruruvai, Pututu, Posarae, Ropa, Kelekaku, and Lituni.
The Community Based Resource Management (CBRM) training was fully funded by Australian Aid and implemented by TNC. The objective of the 10 days was to conduct two days of training for community monitors on how to carry out simple Biological Monitoring Surveys at the community level in accordance with Solomon Islands Locally Managed Marine Areas Network protocols.
The survey looked at three components: coral reef cover, invertebrates and fish monitoring. The remaining eight days were for field activities within the new sites. The workshop took place at Posarae community, South East Choiseul on 29-30 July and the survey was carried out in the Roboroe and Boboe areas.
During the first two days of training held at the community hall, participants learned about marine monitoring methods and protocols, and participatory learning approaches. The activity was later followed by awareness raising for the entire community on conservation, climate change and natural disasters.
Site monitoring was also conducted at new Marine Managed Area (MMA) sites proposed by the local communities around RoboroeIsland. According to Kenton Madada from Ruruvai village, “It is a great privilege for me to acquire information about our marine resources and monitoring these in a professional way. I know it can cost a lot of money to acquire this type of knowledge, but for us it’s all free.” Another participant, Watson Pitakoe, said the training was more than just about monitoring coral reefs: “It also gives me an opportunity to learn how to conduct a mathematical analysis of the results obtained from surveys.”
Choiseul-based TNC staff member, Jimmy Kereseka, told participants: “What you have learnt during the course is simple but vital science. You are now professionals in your area and by sharing your knowledge with the wider community, you will end up learning more than what we have managed to show you during the training.”
Arnavon Islands coordinator Henry Kaniki helped conduct the training with TNC. He said surveys of the marine resources showed that the new sites are still in pristine condition.
“The data collected shows there are abundant invertebrates, fish and healthy corals. Even more exciting was the capture of a juvenile Hawksbill turtle for the first time during a fish survey at Kukuru Marine Managed Area.”
“There is normally very little opportunity to catch a turtle at a depth of less than 4m in the middle of the day. There were also different types of clamshells and commercial invertebrates found,” he said.
Source: www.earthdive.com
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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