Traditional resource owners will benefit from the Government’s partnership with the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) and the private sector in their bid to set up a Blue Town Model which will be piloted in Savusavu, Vanua Levu.
Speaking on the future of reefs at the Our Ocean Conference in Panama, Fisheries Minister Kalaveti Ravu said they were working in partnership with the GFCR and other private sector entities to focus on projects that included monetising, or earning revenue — especially in terms of cash from, Locally Managed Marine Area Networks (LMMAs).
Mr Ravu said this would definitely be a move in the right direction as it was a course of action that would support sustainable income generation for traditional resource owners.
Some of the aspects of the project, he explained, included building Fiji’s first bio-fertiliser factory to negate stressors of synthetic fertiliser on coral reefs and developing Fiji’s largest sanitary landfill to prevent waste ending up in the ocean ecosystem.
“These projects are well aligned to Fiji’s National Ocean Policy,” Mr Ravu said.
“They set the foundation for a new development ethos of sustainability and harmony with our ocean biodiversity called the Blue Town Model.
“The Fiji Government, with support from the GFCR, is working with the private sector to develop a Blue Town Model to be piloted in Savusavu on Fiji’s second largest island called Vanua Levu.
“This integrated model is expected to become a blueprint for urban centre development that addresses key local drivers of coral reef degradation in line with the focus areas of the GFCR.”
The minister said the approach would be presented in greater detail at the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to be held later this year.
