[Source: WWF Pacific]

The province of Macuata has rallied to support the protection of sea turtles through the establishment of foraging and nesting sites for the globally endangered species.

This is through the three-year “Safeguarding Sea Turtles Population in Fiji Project”, funded by the World Wildlife Fund United Kingdom.

WWF Pacific’s Sustainable Fisheries and Seafood Programme Manager, Duncan Williams says the project aims to halt the substantial decline of the sea turtle population and marine resources in general.

Williams says the move is a significant boost for the sea turtle population, particularly the critically endangered hawksbill turtles.

“So, the project basically aims to halt and reverse the declines that the region is facing with respect to hawksbill turtle numbers and population which have declined substantially. The indicators of that is nesting population and nesting incidences annually observed to be declining.”

Williams says it is also an urgent response to the growing threats on sea turtles posed by climate change.

“So, when we have high incidences and high rates of cyclones and really severe weather … communities in maritime regions tend to rely on their marine resources for sustenance. Unfortunately, sea turtles bear the brunt of this continued harvest.”

As part of the initiative, two foraging and nesting sites have been established in Nukuvadra and Katawaqa islands in Nadogo District, Macuata.

[Source: WWF Pacific]

A total of four sea turtle foraging and nesting sites have been established around the country; two in Nadogo-Macuata and the others are located in Yadua Island-Bua, Dravuni Village-Kadavu, and Tuvuca-Lau.

The initiative ties in with protecting Fiji’s Great Sea Reef, locally known as the Cakaulevu, the third-longest reef system in the southern hemisphere which stretches from Udu Point in Vanua Levu to the Coral Coast in Viti Levu.