2019 Ecological Survey of Fiji’s Great Sea Reef
© Tom Vierus / WWF-US
© Tom Vierus / WWF-US
© Tom Vierus / WWF-US
© Tom Vierus / WWF-US
Fiji is comprised of over 300 islands and contains incredibly rich marine habitats, ranging from shallow tropical habitats like coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass beds to open-ocean pelagic systems and benthic hydrothermal vent habitats. These systems are home to over 2,340 species, including over 1,000 fish species and 300 coral species (Pyle 2019; Seeto and Baldwin 2010; Mangubhai et al. 2019; Lovell and McLardy 2008).
The Great Sea Reef (GSR) of Fiji, the third longest barrier reef system in the world, stretches over 450 km from Viti Levu to Vanua Levu. Marine areas of the GSR are divided into 33 qoliqoli, community-managed fishing areas recognized by local communities and government (Rohe et al. 2019). Over three quarters of all the fish supplied to domestic markets is sourced from within GSR boundaries, worth 12-16 million Fiji dollars annually (5-8 million US dollars) (FBS 2012).
One third of Fiji’s population lives near the GSR, and tourism related to the GSR generates 25% of Fiji’s GDP (WWF-Pacific 2014). This being the case, the interest to support coastal ecosystem conservation is only increasing. There is history of management within qoliqoli to improve sustainability, including permanent (tabu), temporary, and rotating closures of areas to fishing (Jupiter et al. 2014). In 2005, local communities, WWF, and the University of the South Pacific worked with the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network to establish five new tabu areas; this has since increased to 18 (WWF-Pacific 2019).
The last systematic survey of the GSR had been conducted in 2004, and only included the northern section of the reef (Jenkins et al. 2005). From September to October of 2019, the most comprehensive ecological assessment of GSR health was conducted, covering 74 sites; aside from documenting current coral reef health and fish communities as well as identify changes, the data collected will inform marine spatial planning in the GSR region, use findings to raise awareness on the importance of the GSR for biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods, and to provide a platform for additional survey methods to support partner projects in support of conservation of the GSR.
GSR Survey Route Overview
Key highlights include high hard coral cover at 34%, suggesting that coral cover has been mostly stable since the past survey in 2004. There is, however, evidence that key fisheries (Sweetlips, Snapper, Parrotfish, and Grouper) have declined by 33% across the GSR since the 2000s.
The report “Status and trends of coral reefs and associated coastal habitats in Fiji’s Great Sea Reef” released in April 2022 summarizes these results while also providing recommendations to manage the GSR in a way that could improve conditions for the future. These include increased marine protection, developing species-specific conservation strategies for endangered wildlife, and promoting economic incentives and community-based engagement that support sustainability and conservation.
See full report, factsheets below.
