ICRI members the Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF as well as ICRI member country Fiji (through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change), took a significant step towards the safeguarding of Fiji’s coral reefs with the recent launch of the Fiji National Hub for Coral Reef Conservation (NHCRC).
The new hub was launched to protect Fiji’s coral reef systems which covers 7600 square kilometres and boasts 1075 species of fish. While launching the NHCRC, permanent secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr Sivendra Michael highlighted the urgent need for co-ordinated and comprehensive action to protect these vulnerable systems.
“The NHCRC represents a dynamic ecosystem of collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing that will guide conservation decisions across all levels,” said Dr Michael.
“The hub will serve as a national co-ordination and advisory committee consisting of experts, decision-makers, and community representatives.” He said the hub also aligned with Fiji’s national strategies, including the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), National Ocean Policy (NOP) 2020-2030, and the National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (NBSAP) 2020-2025.
Paul van Nimwegen, Country Director of WCS Fiji said, “The action plan will provide a strategic focus, agreed to by all, to help us identify what we need to do to safeguard Fiji’s coral reefs, and by when,”
This official endorsement will also allow members of the hub to move forward with their next piece of work: drafting a Coral Reef Action Plan for Fiji, which the team hopes to have completed in March 2025.
The NHCRC would be positioned under the National Ocean Policy Steering Committee (NOPSC) and report to the National Climate Change Coordination Committee (NCCCC) to ensure a seamless alignment with Fiji’s national sustainability and climate action goals.
This integrated approach ensures the hub’s activities are directly relevant to Fiji’s broader development objectives.
Source: Fiji Times
