Ocean Management

Next week, the United Nations Oceans' Conference is being held in New York, co-hosted by Fiji and Sweden, with a specific focus on Sustainable Development Goal 14 - namely to conserve and sustainably manage the use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.

Hugh Govan is an advisor with the Locally Managed Marine Area network and had worked with Pacific coastal communities for many years.

He said these communities had lived in harmony with the ocean for thousands of years and they need to be listened to.

It has called a three-day National Oceans Summit which aims to involve everyone from leaders to students in talks, exhibitions and activities related to the development of a sustainable oceans policy for the nation.

The Authority director Glen Joseph said the Marshalls had bits and pieces of a policy, but it needed a holistic national approach.

Correspondent Giff Johnson said the Authority had made previous attempts to develop sustainable fisheries management plans with the outer islands but the summit was an attempt at greater buy-in.