Fijian Environment
From Tribewanted
Fiji is a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific, lying about 4,450 km (2,775 mi) southwest of Honolulu and 1,770 km (1,100 mi) north of New Zealand. Of the 322 islands and 522 smaller islets making up the archipelago, about 106 are permanently inhabited. ([1])
Both Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are mountainous, with peaks up to 1300 m rising abruptly from the shore, and covered with tropical forests. Heavy rains (up to 304 cm or 120 in annually) fall on the windward (southeastern) side, covering these sections of the islands with dense tropical forest. Lowlands on the western portions of each of the main islands are sheltered by the mountains and have a well-marked dry season favorable to crops such as sugarcane. [2]
Oceanic activity is characterized by predominantly south-easterly swells throughout the year, though during the period between July and December there are significant easterly swells. Tides are generally diurnal. Sea surface temperatures have an annual average of between 24ºC to 31ºC and surface salinity levels are 35o/00 in most cases, except during periods of heavy rainfall. The annual mean tidal range is limited at only 1.1m. The mean range of neap tides is 0.9m and spring tides 1.3m. Strong tidal currents occur 3 hours before and after low and high tides in lagoons, and the amount of water entering lagoons over reefs and through passages are also dependent on tidal heights ([3]).
Fiji Islands Marine Ecoregion (FIME) has one of the most complex and extensive coral reef systems in the western Pacific. It is estimated that there are around one thousand coral reefs in Fiji. Reef sizes vary from less than 50 m to 370 km long. The diversity of reef types include patch, fringing, barrier, platform, oceanic, ribbon, drowned, atolls and near-atolls. The most common reef types are fringing reefs and barrier reefs. The reefs of FIME are historically healthy but are currently under threat from environmental stressors such as bleaching, pollution, physical damage from unsustainable fishing practices and unsustainable harvesting for the aquarium trade.
Encompassed within this vibrant ecological framework are over 390 known species of coral housing over 1200 variety of fish and a multitude of invertebrates. The ecoregion is also home to some unique marine life, like an endemic seabird, the Fiji petrel. There are seven known endemic species of fish in the Fijian waters and it's also a spawning ground for the endangered hump head wrasse and the worlds largest parrot fish, the bump head parrot fish. Of the seven species of sea turtle found in the world, five have been observed in Fiji's waters; the green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), and leatherback (Dermochelys criacea) turtle. Green and hawksbill turtles most commonly nest in Fiji, where the sea grass meadows are a critical foraging area for the green turtles. Critically endangered turtles like the leatherbacks also use these waters as feeding and migratory paths. Fiji's EEZ waters are a declared whale sanctuary, an initiative by the local government to protect the 12 species of whales and dolphins sighted in its waters. ([4])
Fiji's marine resources are important to its people from both a cultural perspective, and as a major source of food, minerals, construction material and a vast range of useful products, as well as livelihoods and a source of cash income. Significantly, traditional patterns of community marine tenure, as well as indigenous ecological knowledge, can be incorporated into sustainably managing marine resources. Good local management with full community involvement is a strength of FIME conservation efforts and will ultimately contribute to both the sustainable livelihoods and empowerment of the communities involved. The islands economy depends heavily on its foreign exchange earnings from Fisheries and Tourism and there are high hopes that within the next few years these industries would be earning the tiny islands over a billion dollars. ([5])
Today Fiji's marine biodiversity faces growing threats. These have not been well documented and as a result, are not well recognised outside of the Pacific. Threats include: climate change; coral bleaching; tourism; increased coastal settlement; destructive fishing practices such as explosives, night spear fishing and modern and traditional poisons for fishing; over-harvesting of key species; artisanal (subsistence) and commercial fishing pressures; inappropriate economic development activities; introduction of invasive alien species; point-source pollution (e.g. sewage, mining, industrial discharges, litter refuse disposal sites); non-point source pollution (fertilisers, herbicides, urban run-off); siltation of waterways and coastal areas from agricultural practices; logging and clearing of riparian vegetation leading to the degradation and loss of important coastal habitats in the marine environment. The cumulative effects of these impacts, coupled with the dependence of Fiji's coastal communities on the marine environment mean that it is imperative to manage these waters sustainably. ([6])
