Philippines
Date: February 2023
Progress: Complete
Providing indigenous women in Melanesia with training in conservation theory, scuba diving and marine biology survey techniques so they have the skills to communicate the need for marine reserves to their local communities
The Project
We’ve expanded our work in the coral triangle by partnering up with the Coral Sea Foundation to fund the Sea Women of Melanesia (SWoM) program in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. This region has some of the highest marine biodiversity in the eastern Coral Triangle, and it forms the northern border of the Coral Sea.
The (SWoM) program provides indigenous women with training in conservation theory, scuba diving and marine biology survey techniques so they have the skills to communicate the need for marine reserves to their local communities and are able to identify areas suitable for marine protected areas on their own coral reefs.
To hold a dedicated two-week training program for 10 Sea Women of Melanesia at the CICI facility in the Louisiade Archipelago towards the end of 2019. The focus would be on women from island communities the Milne Bay province, and the objectives would be to deliver these women a training program that covered fish and coral identification, marine survey techniques, LMMA theory, and guidelines for community engagement.
The Results
The training program for the Sea Women of Melanesia exceeding our original aims:
- 30 taking part in the training (10 planned). Seventeen Sea Women being trained (10 planned) from 7 different communities and 20 men from local clan and government (unplanned) which signals wide community support of the program.
- 14 new LMMA areas (8 planned) across both Engineer and Deboyne island groups mapped in Google Earth in consultation with clan leaders and ward members.
- Development of the promotional video with the inclusion of the UCF logo as a partner. The video link is below:
The Organisation
Coral Sea Foundation
The Foundation aims is to raise awareness of the ecological and social value of the Coral Sea and Eastern Coral Triangle, and to be proactive in its sustainable management. This region contains the last great reservoir of ultra-diverse coral reef in the world, yet most of it is remote and rarely visited, and there are insufficient marine protected areas to achieve robust conservation outcomes.
Combining an ethos of science, gender equity and sustainability, the Foundation works with traditional owners to develop marine reserves that enhance fisheries and protect biodiversity, while delivering humanitarian aid to improve the basic quality of life of people in our partner villages.
Find out more here: coralseafoundation.net
Project Partners
