A NEW policy to conserve turtles in the Mamanucas and possibly at a national level has received the government's full support.
Launched by the Mamanuca Environment Society last Friday, the policy will become the government's overall plan to ensure the turtle population in the country continues to increase.
Department of Environment director Jope Davetanivalu said the government would continue to support such initiatives.
"This was funded by the UNDP small grant and that small grant is shared by a government representative so for the endorsement of such a project, government was involved," Mr Davetanivalu said.
"When we look at MES in terms of turtle conservation, it has other activities like understanding the law and existing laws that conserve turtles," he said.
"And when we look at the Fisheries Act and also the Environmental Management Act from the Department of Environment and in carrying out awareness and capacity building from the government point of view, we are always there and this program has always been a partnership approach where government is always involved," he added.
MES project manager Betani Salusalu said they hoped the government would adopt their policy into a national policy.
"We are hoping that the government adopts and implements it in other parts of Fiji through their policies and that will make it more effective in terms of regulation," Mr Salusalu said. He said they were working closely with the government to ensure the policy was implemented at national level.