SeaWeb Fellows Portal: Photo of the week

FOND FAREWELLS

Dear Friends,
In the four months since we have left Alotau, I've seen really exciting and thought-provoking pieces appearing under our fellows' bylines. I was lucky enough to see a few of you in Fiji, and I am always so happy when I see your names pop up in my email inbox.
This blog was an experiment, and I am very pleased with how it went. I hope my successor can pick it up (or perhaps one of you will?) and help it grow.
As you all know, I am moving to a new position with COMPASS, where I will be the new assistant director of science outreach. My contact information is not changing for now, and I hope you will each continue to include me in your lives and your work.
I wish you all the best,
Sincerely,
Liz

CSIRO Unmanned submersible being launched to test deep ocean corals (Photo Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, via ABC News)

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KIRIBATI DECLARES PHOENIX ISLANDS AS MARINE PROTECTED AREA

By MAKERETA KOMAI
31 JANUARY 2008, SUVA, FIJI
PACNEWS

Kiribati says it has officially declared the Phoenix Islands to become the world’s largest protected area to ensure its biological diversity and sustainability, reports Radio New Zealand International.

The protection zone, which is halfway between Hawaii and Fiji, will be 185,000 square kilometers and will consist of underwater mountains, coral reefs and more than 520 species of fish.

Kiribati’s minister for environment, Tetapo Nakara said the government wants to ensure a viable use of its resources. “Certain areas of the Phoenix Islands will be declared a marine protected area. In March, we’ll going to have the negotiation with the potential donors and after that we’ll determine the timeframe. The main reason for this is part of the government’s commitment to conserve the place and the biological diversity.”

Mr Nakara said it hopes to fully establish the area as a protected zone by the end of the year. He also expected that the site would attract many tourists.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace has welcomed Kiribati’s decision to declare the Phoenix Islands as the world’s largest protected area.

Greenpeace’s Pacific Oceans teamleader, Nilesh Goundar said there’s a wide range of threats facing the Pacific Ocean and protecting areas like the Phoenix Islands is very important. “Marine reserves are a way of ensuring that we have fish for all the future generations to come. Overfishing is the largest threat to our oceanic ecosystem.,” Mr Goundar said

The group, Friends of the Earth, in New Zealand supports Kiribati’s decision to declare the Phoenix Islands as the world’s largest protected area. The organisations co-director, Bob Tait said Kiribati made the right decision. “We think that’s great. There’s been a lot of fish stock depletion around the Pacific and marine reserves, that’s well established, that they provide a spawning ground and it’s a way back for restore their fish stock in the region. it’ll mean less reliance on imported processed products if the locals are still able to fish around the reserve.”

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14 January, 2008

Photo of the week - 2nd week of January

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