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Tonga

Manuka Village

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Conservation benefit: 272-acre marine protected area, including 64-acre no-take zone, for 10 years

Community benefit: Infrastructure for new Ecotour and Recreational Park

Date Approved: 06.2023

Ocean

This project protects ocean ecosystems, making coastal communities more economically and physically secure in the face of climate change.

Until just a few years ago, any Tongan could fish freely anywhere in Tongan waters. Not surprisingly, that led to overfishing. The current system, however, lets coastal communities manage their waters, by creating marine protected areas called Special Management Areas (SMAs).

In Manuka Village’s SMA, marine life is rich and diverse. There are octopus, reef fishes (such as the marbled parrotfish, goatfish, and many more), sea snakes, sea cucumber, and many varieties of shellfish. Fishing is prohibited in part of the SMA, which gives fish stocks a chance to grow both there and in the surrounding waters. People have noticed significant improvement since the SMA was created in 2020.

Community police patrol the SMA and have prosecuted three fishermen from other villages for illegal fishing. There are carefully regulated aquaculture programs, to support sustainable livelihoods. Community members have planted 30 giant clams inside the no-take zone, and more than 1,500 juvenile Trochus (snails) outside the no-take zone.

Village residents will use a Seacology grant to further ecotourism, featuring their now-protected coastal waters. They will create a small Ecotour and Recreational Park at the edge of the marine reserve, charging a small entrance fee and renting out kayaks and snorkeling gear. Local people will sell crafts, and visitors will get educational materials about the SMA. The proceeds will go toward park maintenance and SMA management.

Land for the park has already been fenced off. Village leaders think that an improved park will also bolster community awareness of and support for the protected area. It will be used as a meeting place for youth groups, women’s groups, schools, and other groups, a tangible reminder of the importance of protecting the SMA and a source of pride for their village.

Project Updates

June 2024

Field representative Sione Faka’osi met with the Manuka Special Management Area (SMA) Committee in February to confirm the project implementation plan, and construction started in April. But the National Spatial Planning Authority declared that the work must stop until the Manuka Town Officer and the SMA Committee obtained a development permit. They have applied for the permit.

Read more

February 2024

Our project partners have received the first payment of the grant and plan to launch the project in early 2024.

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