Samoa has a Marine Resources Use Policy, and is working towards the delineation of its EEZ with the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the SOPAC.
Traditionally Samoans rely on marine resources for their well-being and daily required sustenance. Over 70% of villages are located on the coastal fringe of the islands, and subsistence fishing is a major activity of the inhabitants of such villages. Fisheries also play an extremely important role in the economy of Samoa as well as contributing significantly to the health and nutrition of the people. Fisheries are the major income-earner for the country. Offshore fisheries, in particular the tuna sector, have been recently developed and now are the most valuable among fisheries contributing significantly to Samoa’s economy. However, pressures arising as a result of overfishing, inshore environment degradation, ongoing coastal developments, pollution, and natural disasters have adversely affected the coastal resources and marine environment.
21 March 2013: The Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) has approved funding for six projects under its Small Grant Fund. The decision, taken during the WHMSI Steering Committee meeting on 28-29 January 2013, follows a call for proposals issued during the fall of 2012.
After examining 37 applications, six projects were selected for funding, which include: projects on sharks in Panama and the Franciscana Dolphin in Argentina; a shark identification workshop for law...
23 March 2013: The Fourth Regional 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) Forum in Asia and the Pacific convened in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, from 18-20 March 2013, addressing the theme of “3Rs in the Context of the Rio+20 Outcomes – The Future We Want.” The meeting focused on waste minimization, reuse and recycling issues in various sectors, including agriculture, industry and energy. It also adopted the Ha Noi 3R Declaration, which sets out 30 waste management goals to be achieved by 2023.
Organized by the UN...
13 March 2013: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) have released the proceedings of a workshop held in 2012 on “Priority adaptations to climate change for Pacific fisheries and aquaculture: reducing risks and capitalizing on opportunities.”
The report summarizes the technical presentations given at the workshop on the implications of climate change for Pacific fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the outcomes of...
