Satapuala is a coastal village on the northwestern side of Upolu Island in Samoa. The village, which is controlled by a traditional council of chiefs, was relocated in 1942 to make room for an airport. It has more than 2,000 residents, and the growing population has taken a toll on the marine resources. A conservation program will establish rotating no-take zones within the village’s marine area. This is expected to help marine resources recover, making subsistence fishing and regulated commercial use sustainable.
Seacology will fund construction of a new community hall and an upgrade of the village water supply system. In return, the community will establish a 1,600-acre marine conservation area, 15 percent of which (240 acres) will be no-take. They will also protect approximately one acre of Rhizophora mangle mangrove forest. The goal is to extend the no-take section of the marine reserve to 25 percent within 15 years. The rest of the area will be managed in a sustainable manner, with regulations dictating the size of catches and a ban on the use of illegal substances such as dynamite and cyanide.
