1992 Suva, FIJI Introduction Mangroves are among the most productive of all communities and an important resource in the Pacific Islands.
Mangroves have economic, social, cultural, scientific and aesthetic values to man.
They provide habitats for many plants and animals. They perform hydrological and geomorphological functions in that they assist flood control, regulate water flow, control soil erosion, assimilate waste water and provide a sink for sediments. The management of resources and concerns for ecological effect of resource utilisation on the environment have been recently introduced concepts. For the first time in DPV, there is clear indication of concern about the effect of resource utilisation on the ecology and environment for future generations. Also under the current DP, environmental administration and management is vested with the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources.