Environment
Gliding Beneath The Waves
As well as having some of the most beautiful locations in the world to call our homes, Pacific islanders dwell within a vast 32 million square kilometres ocean range, which houses the biggest marine habitat on the planet. On any given day, more than half of all the known marine mammals will be going about their business not that far from our shores. Keeping them company are the largest remaining populations of dugongs and marine turtles to be found in any stretch of water.Many Pacific cultures have myths, legends, and impressive knowledge pools about the traditional uses of marine mammals and turtles, indicating the significance of these creatures to their cultures and ways of life. For example, Mau Pialug, of Satawal Island in Micronesia, used whales and dolphins as "road signs" along with the heavenly stars and ocean waves on his epic voyages from Hawaii to French Polynesia and Micronesia, which covered thousands of miles. Polynesia is full of stories of migratory species such as great whales and turtles.
Polynesians believe their forefathers discovered the patterns to their migratory paths, and used them as guides to traversing the Pacific Ocean.
- ADVERTISEMENT -
Dugongs and turtles play a vital role in the survival of coastal marine habitats, particularly sea grass systems. Both have been hunted extensively in the region for traditional and subsistence purposes, and more recently for commercial gain. In early days, the hunting of dugongs and turtles was sustainable, but increasing human populations, the use of new technologies such as outboard motors and gill nets, has wrought havoc on their numbers, resulting in fragmentation of populations and even local extinction.
Dolphins have also been used as a food source in some places through local drive hunts. They are prized for the medicinal qualities of their oil, their skin and bones being commonly used for jewellery and ornaments.Unfortunately we are now witnessing the cumulative impact of commercial whaling during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by countries outside the region.
Generally all these species are long-lived with low reproductive rates.
Breeding populations of South Pacific whales have been reduced to extremely low levels, leading to local extinction of some species. However it's not all grim news. There is a growing awareness of the non-consumptive values of marine mammals for the social, economic and cultural benefit of local communities, such as whale watching in Tonga (where hunting whales was outlawed in 1978), dolphin-watching in French Polynesia and turtle-watching in Papua New Guinea. At the same time, SPREP members and the international community are realising the need for a concerted, coordinated approach to check the trend in declining numbers. During a nine day workshop at the SPREP headquarters recently, marine and fisheries officers from a dozen Pacific island countries, hammered out draft Action Plans for the next five years to protect and conserve all these species. They intend to have the final version of the Plans ready to be tabled for approval by the time of the 14th SPREP meeting to be held in Samoa in September.Successful implementation of these Action Plans will mean we will all be better positioned to protect, manage and use the marine environment for sustainable development. Populations of whales, dolphins, dugongs and marine turtles could recover to healthy levels, and continue to sustain the cultural aspirations of Pacific peoples. As some of these species use distribution and migratory pathways that extend across several exclusive economic zones, the Pacific Islands have a shared responsibility to ensure the maintenance of viable populations.One of the recommendations to emerge from the meeting was linking some of our current programmes with the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), an international agreement to which Australia and New Zealand, who funded the workshop, are members. The parties to the CMS have a good track record in achieving cooperative management for migratory mammals and animals that move over long distances and international borders. By joining the CMS, the Pacific will gain more leverage when it comes to putting our case forward for support internationally, and in cooperating regionally with border crossings of migratory species. The workshop also noted a significant trend, where more non-government organisations were now supporting community and government driven initiatives. These are both welcome and important steps at community and international level, to find the best paths to ensure the survival and future of all our friends who glide beneath the waves.
Asterio Takesy is the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme Director, based in Apia, Samoa.
