Coastal
Pacific Island peoples have developed a close relationship with the ocean over millennia and the sea is a key part of the region’s rich cultures. The capacity and vast knowledge of coastal communities provide the fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable livelihoods based on healthy natural resources and within the context of cash-strapped economies.
Helping communities build on these strengths towards self-reliance, in combination with new knowledge and institutions, is the core of the FSPI Communities and Coasts Programme.
One of the most promising approaches towards sustainable marine resource management to securing livelihoods emerging from the region involve community based management relying on local governance and facilitated with Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) tools. This provides communities with the means to improve their own resource management practices. The community development experience of the FSPI Network Partners suggested that working at the community level entails a series of best practices with a clear focus on helping communities meet their aspirations and set their own agendas.
We acknowledge the kind support and funding from the Coral Reef Initiative in the Pacific (CRISP), Mac Arthur Foundation, South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Packard Foundation and NZAID for our current projects (2008 to 2010)
