Developing a fisheries management plan for the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve
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| Abstract | The Pitcairn Islands are the last remaining Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom in the Pacific Ocean and are extremely remote, located in the central South Pacific approximately equidistant between Chile and New Zealand. The Territory consists of four widely-separated small islands, only one of which, Pitcairn itself, is inhabited. Along with many other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Pitcairn shares significant challenges that present a special case within the world community. These include isolation and a lack of economy of scale, exacerbated by high transportation and communication costs. Considering these challenges, the UK Darwin Initiative recently funded a project to develop local capacity for adaptive fisheries management and to enhance tourism opportunities through the visits of cruise ships and the development of associated on-island facilities. Following the establishment of the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve in September 2016, which covers the whole of the Pitcairn Island Exclusive Economic Zone (an area of 836,000 km2), the key aim of the project was to mobilise community participation with a focus on introducing sustainable fisheries practices. Considering limited funds, resources and on-island capacity to implement monitoring, policing and enforcement of legislation, the establishment of a Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) scheme was viewed as the most appropriate way forward to ensure high levels of compliance at minimum costs |
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