LAU SEASCAPECHRONICLESCI Fiji’s CommunityConnection
JUNE 2023		

Welcome to our newsletter
We are excited to introduce the Lau
Seascape Chronicles, a brand-newnewsletter created to keep you informed
and engaged with the important work
CI Fiji is doing in and around the Lau
Seascape. Our mission is to protect therich biodiversity and cultural heritageof this beautiful region while promoting
sustainable development for the benefitof our community.
In each quarterly issue, you can expect
to find updates on our latest projects,
stories of community engagement,
highlights of local conservation efforts,
and insights into the fascinating marine
life and ecosystems unique to the Lau
Seascape. We will also share information
about upcoming events, workshops, andopportunities for you to get involved andmake a difference.
Our goal is to foster a strong sense ofconnection among all stakeholders,
ensuring that our collective efforts leadto a healthy and thriving environment forgenerations to come. We believe thatby working together, we can create asustainable future for the communities

IN THIS ISSUE

that live in Lau while fulfilling the vision,mission and objectives of the Lau
Seascape Strategy/ in an effort to sustain
the incredible natural and cultural
treasures in Lau.
We invite you to join us on this journey,
and we encourage you to share theLau Seascape Chronicles with friends,
and family, who are passionate about
preserving the unique beauty and vitalityof the far eastern islands of our beloved
nation.
We extend a warm thanks to the Vanuao Lau, the Fiji Government and all ourconservation partners for their continued
support and collaboration to preserve
the Lau Seascape.
Warm regards,

Mere Lakeba
Senior Director, Fiji Program
Regional Fisheries
Conservation International Fiji

ISSUE 1Page 2 The Lau Seascape
Page 4 News and Stories•Fiji backs
Upcoming
Financing
Framework for
Lau SeascapeConservation•Lau SeascapeYaubula Planning
Workshop

Page 5 ••Community
Consultationfor 30x30
Government
Initiative
Global SeascapeWorkshopSuccessfully
Concluded in Fiji

Page 6 Sneak peak•

Rapid Biodiversity
Study in Lau’s
Northern Islands
Aims to Safeguard
PreciousEcosystems•

Up coming events

andTheLau SeascapeThe Lau Seascape, located in the South
Pacific Ocean, is a unique marine ecosystem
brimming with unspoiled beauty and teemingwith diverse life forms. The islands host a wealthof terrestrial and marine biodiversity, offering asanctuary to various marine species, including
sea turtles, sharks, and whales. However, theunique biodiversity and the cultural heritage of
the Indigenous Lau communities are under threat,pushing conservation to the forefront.

combat overfishing and poaching through local
surveillance.
The Lau Seascape Strategy was introduced in
2019, focusing on holistic management fromridges to reefs and oceans. Its main goals are
to preserve Lau’s exceptional biodiversity andpromote sustainable production practices.
This collaborative conservation effort engages
communities, the Fijian government, the private
sector, and non-governmental organizations, allsharing a commitment to protect Lau’s biodiversity,
enhance climate resilience, and drive sustainable
development through nature-based solutions.
The Lau Seascape initiative serves as aninspiring testament to proactive environmental
stewardship, showcasing the power ofcollaboration in preserving our precious
seascapes.

The Lau Seascape initiative is a proactive
response to environmental concerns, driven
by the Lau Chiefs’ deep worries over thedegradation of the region’s resources due tohuman activity and climate change. Established in2016 through a Memorandum of Understanding
with Conservation International, the initiative
aims to revive traditional sustainable practices,advocate for responsible resource use, andWhat’s a‘seascaispa egro’?up of special ocean

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The Lau Seascape Area

It covers an area of

335,895 km2
Population of

9,602
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locally managed
marine areas
live coral
cover

islands

80%

inhabitedislands

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hard coral
speciesfish species and many marine species
such as sea turtles, sharks, and whales.

News and Stories

Fiji backs Upcoming Financing
Framework for Lau Seascape Conservation
As part of Conservation InternationalFiji, we’re in the process ofdeveloping the Sustainable Blended
Financing Framework, a fresh
initiative specifically designed for theIndigenous-led Lau Seascape. Ouraim is to place people at the core ofsustainable development, bringing
together public and private funding toboost conservation efforts and foster
sustainable livelihoods.

Minister for Agriculture andWaterways, Hon. Vatimi Rayalu

During a workshop on the Framework
held in Suva in March 2023, theFiji government, represented bythe Minister for Agriculture andWaterways, Hon. Vatimi Rayalu,
pledged its support for our initiative.
We received commendation from theMinister for the leadership displayedby the Lau Indigenous community. The
government also conveyed their wish
for a comprehensive briefing on theLau Seascape Initiative.

Our upcoming framework utilizes a“Protection and Production” approach,which balances natural resource
protection with the assurance ofa sustainable local economy. The
Indigenous resource owners of Lau
have expressed strong support for our
financing framework, which not only
recognizes the cultural significanceof the seascape to the Indigenouscommunities, but also ensures theirvoice is reflected in conservationcommitments.
Currently under development, theFinancing Framework will actively
collaborate
withgovernment
ministries, the private sector, andthe Lau community to ensure ourapproach is thorough, feasible, andeffective.

The upcoming financing framework that is being developed recognizes the cultural importance of theseascape to the Indigenous communities and ensures that the voice of Lau is reflected in conservationcommitments. We know the financing framework once fully developed will pay for the conservation efforts
we are undertaking in Lau, and the benefit will and must roll over to the people in creating a sustainable
livelihood – we look forward to working with the government and CI Fiji on this.			
~Roko Sau, Chief of Totoya~

Lau Seascape Yaubula Planning Workshop

Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Vatimi Rayalu with Vanua Lau Chiefs, community members, and Conservation International Fiji team

We hosted the Lau Seascape Yaubula Planning Workshop
in Suva from 1st to 3rd March, with representatives fromLau’s 13 districts in attendance. Our discussions revolved
around protecting and conserving natural resources forfuture generations, with topics covering Marine Protected
Areas, sustainable practices, economic initiatives, andwomen’s livelihood improvement. We also recognized

the need to revive traditional knowledge and strengthen
the chiefs’ forum, and improve communication between
village and provincial levels. Lastly, we discussed the Lau
Yaubula Festival Day slated to be hosted in June 2023.
The attendees are now prepared to share the knowledge
gained with their districts.

Community Consultation for 30x30 Government Initiative

Provincial administrator Lau, Roko Tui Lau, Ogea communitymember, and CI Fiji representative.
Credit: Fiji Government

The second phase of the30x30 Marine Protected
Area consultation for theLau province took placeacross 13 districts inFebruary 2023. Led by Lau
Provincial
Administrator
IakoboWaqanidrola
and Roko Tui Lau Jioji
Kalounivalu, the awarenesscampaign was conducted
incollaboration
withConservation InternationalFiji, the International Union
for the Conservation ofNature, and Fiji LocallyManaged Marine Area. Fiji’s
30x30 national initiative
aims to protect 30% of Fiji’s
Exclusive Economic Zone,
demonstrating how ocean

conservation can benefit
local livelihoods, enhance
climate change resilience,preserve biodiversity, andstrengthen the economy.
The first phase of 30x30
consultations in Lau covered
the islands of Vanua Balavu,
Cicia, and Nayau that took
place from 18th to 21st ofOctober, 2022 while thesecond phase covered therest of the Lau Group inFebruary 2023.
The consultation received
overall positive responses
community wide.

Global Seascape Workshop Successfully Concluded in Fiji

Field practitioners and technical experts from CI Global at the Warwick Resort in Fiji for the Global Seascape Workshop

As Conservation International (CI) Fiji, we had the immense
pleasure of hosting the annual Global Seascape Workshop
in May 2023. This remarkable event, which has been acornerstone of our efforts for an incredible 18 years, provided
a vital stage for seascape practitioners and partners fromCI across the world to come together, to exchange ideas,
and to renew our shared dedication towards sustainableseascapes.

and stewardishing the precious seascapes of our planet.
This year, we had the honor of welcoming representatives
from five of our established Seascape programs, including
Bird’s Head Seascape from Indonesia, Verde Island
Passage from the Philippines, Abrolhos Seascape from
Brazil, Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape spanning Costa
Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador, and the Lau
Seascape from our own beautiful Fiji.

Our Seascape Program, renowned for its collaborativeethos, has seen 14 fruitful exchanges over the years,
cultivating a fertile environment for continuous learning.
This year, we saw field practitioners and technical experts
come together yet again to further refine our strategies andintegrate precious lessons learned. These discussions havealways served as the bedrock of our adaptive management
and sparked innovative ideas, all in the pursuit of protecting

We proudly regard the workshop as a vibrant hub forlearning and exchanging ideas, propelling significant
progress towards sustainable marine management. Our
tradition of shared commitment and collaboration within
the Seascape Workshop continues to emphasize thenecessity of global unity in our crucial mission to safeguard
the world’s seascapes.

Sneak peak
Rapid Biodiversity Study in Lau’s Northern Islands Aims toSafeguard Precious Ecosystems
At CI Fiji, we recently embarked ona swift, comprehensive assessmentof the terrestrial biodiversity onLau’s northern islands, focusing
our attention keenly on the diverse
array of life forms present there,with a special interest in bats andamphibians. Our primary objectives
are to identify any unique orendangered species, understandtheir interactions, and evaluate thecurrent state of their habitats todetermine the health status of eachspecies. This crucial information will
enable us to collaborate effectively
with the local communities in Lau,finding and implementing ways
to protect and preserve Lau’s
remarkable wildlife, ensuring its
safety and health for generations tocome.

Upcoming Events- Yaubula Festival 29th - 30th June, Suva
The upcoming Lau Yaubula Festival aims to raiseawareness about the importance of preserving thenatural resources of the Lau region while providing
an opportunity for local communities to showcase
their unique cultural heritage. This engaging event
features a diverse array of exhibits, and traditional
artifact displays, all aimed at educating visitors about
the sustainable use and conservation of the region’s
natural resources.

- Environmental DNA or eDNA training for Yaubula
Management Support Team (YMST) - 21st - 22nd June,2023.
- Lau Seascape Symposium 23rd June, 2023

375 Waimanu Rd Suva
Email: CIFijiGeneral@conservation.org
Phone: +679 3314593