Waitabu Marine Park Blog

Sustainable Fijian Reef Resources Inc. (Sasalu Tawamudu) is a state-of-Georgia registered not-for-profit corporation with US IRS 501(c)3 status for tax deductible donations. It was founded by Dr. Bill Aalbersberg, the Director of Applied Sciences at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, Dr. Kirk Bowman, a professor of international affairs at Georgia Tech, and Dr. Terry Snell, a biology professor at Georgia Tech. Aalbersberg, Bowman, and Snell are part of an international team of scientists and researchers who are funded by the Fogarty Center of the US National Institutes of Health to work on drug discovery, conservation, and sustainable economic development in Fiji. Sustainable Fijian Reef Resources is a culmination of part of that work and combines local knowledge from Fijian stakeholders, cutting edge science on reef health, market dynamics, local community activism, and internet marketing. The Board of Directors all serve without any compensation of any kind. Due to gene...

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the towns and cities which have jurisdiction over marine protected areas are undervaluing themselves by charging small fees. This leads to both a massive and unmanageable influx of local and foreign tourists that usually lead to the destruction of natural resources and lack of funds for proper management. Citing the efforts of El Nido in Palawan, which has raised the access fee compared with other destinations Secretary Durano pointed out that tourists continued to come in droves. By imposing “the right price,” the volume of people would drop to manageable levels, while the attraction can get better protection and the community well-compensated, Durano claims. “There is a certain level of the price that will put a limit on the people and yet make the attraction still competitive.” By imposing the right amount of fees and charges, the community would be able to sustain its efforts to protect its natural resources. “We must make sure we hav...

From the album: "Taveuni" by Naushad Yakub Waitbau Beach Added August 10 Facebook | Naushad Yakub's Photos - Taveuni