Sustainable Niue Ocean Wide – Conservation, Management and Development
Niue continues its voyage on a chartered course to highest global standards in sustainable ocean governance. Over the last five years, Niue has achieved tangible developments in policy and action that substantially enhance marine conservation and management reform, away from piecemeal ocean management to a holistic sustainable conservation, management and development approach.
This unique Public-Private Partnership project is a collaboration between the government of Niue and Tofia Niue (a local Non-Profit Organisation). The Niue Ocean Wide (NOW) project and has been made possible with flexible support from global partners including, Oceans 5, National Geographic Pristine Seas, GEF R2R, and UNDP, through a country driven partnership.
The NOW project is underpinning resource and ecosystem sustainability, as well as optimising its value and benefits back to the Niuean people. The key high-level achievements of the NOW Public-Private Partnership to date include:
- Formalisation of the 100% EEZ wide Niue Nukutuluea Marine Spatial Management Plan, establishing a network of conservation and resource use zones.
- Establishment of the Niue Moana Mahu large scale no-take marine protected area, representing 40% of Niue’s EEZ, and the Nukutulueatama Beveridge Reef special management area (SMA), including the ‘locking up’ of commensurate fishing ‘rights’ for this space.
- Establishment of the first Niue EEZ Compliance Strategy, including trialing of advanced technologies for monitoring and compliance (Drones, SAR, hydrophones, LR cameras, and others).
- Increased benefits to Niue through enhanced sustainable management of marine resources, as well as measured increase in benefits through sustainable-tourism and innovative sustainable development and resilience initiatives.
- Development of a fit-for-purpose Sustainable Financing Strategy aimed at a game-changing institutionalisation of donor and partner support harmonisation, aligned with a country driven Public Private Trust to underpin sustainable resourcing for future sustainable development and conservation efforts in Niue in perpetuity.
The project is now enhancing the Marine Spatial Management Plan through further development of the coastal traditional use MSP zone, in collaboration with the Niue GEF R2R project, which will add coastal Marine Protected Areas, special management areas and recognised special conservation reef areas of cultural and historical significance. Phase II of this effort, the new ‘Sustainable NOW’ project, is helping Niue to commence implementation to ensure not only the maximum chance of success and sustainability for Niue in this space, but also to overcome the legacy of shelved policies and continuation of ad hoc project driven initiatives. With current and predicted environmental and climate changes on our marine ecosystems, failure and delay are no longer an option for Niue, the region or the global community for that matter.
Key to fulfilling and sustaining this commitment and vision is securing and building a consistent sustainable source of resourcing commensurate with Niue’s absorptive capacity. This underpins the necessary incremental capability for targeted sustainable implementation, adaptation, and evolution of this paradigm shift well into the future.
There is no other choice for Niue but to ensure sustainable management and development of our part of the Blue Pacific. This is a journey we feel has wider benefits to our Blue Pacific Continent of Islands and indeed the global community. If you would like to learn more, please visit our website: https://www.niueoceanwide.com/ or contact Project Manager: Brendon Pasisi, email: niueoceanwide01@gmail.com.
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