National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Fiji 2017–2024.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan adopts a cross-sectoral approach and covers the period between 2017 and 2024. The goal of this policy is to conserve and sustainably use Fiji’s terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity, and to maintain the ecological processes and systems which are the foundation of national and local development. This policy addresses the following principles: community participation and ownership; development and inter-generational equity; biodiversity mainstreaming and ownership; gender mainstreaming and equality; ecosystem-based management approach; comprehensive and representative system of reserves and conservation areas; improving knowledge, capacity and intellectual property; and financial sustainability and accountability.
This policy sets out six priority focus areas: improving knowledge; developing protected areas; species management; management of invasive species; and enabling environment and mainstreaming sustainable use and development. Public awareness of the values of biodiversity will be raised, and traditional knowledge and practices will be integrated with the latest scientific knowledge into sustainable biodiversity conservation practices. Biodiversity knowledge will be applied in different sectors such as education, health, agriculture, forestry and industries to make management decisions. The national education and awareness activities will be conducted on the important role of biodiversity to people’s livelihoods and overall wellbeing. Traditional ecological knowledge, innovations and good practices of Fijian communities will be integrated into conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Science-based knowledge on ecosystem services and biodiversity values will be improved.
All lands which have been identified and endorsed by the National Protected Areas Committee and the National Environment Council as priority sites, will be entitled to the protected area status. The protected areas network will be expanded at the national, provincial, district and community levels, accounting for community engagement, sustainably managed under good governance systems. Sustainable financing mechanisms will be developed for new and existing protected areas. Best practices and lessons learned will be shared to improve management effectiveness and governance. The legal and policy frameworks will be developed to establish and manage a protected area network for Fiji, and the institutional, governance and administrative frameworks for protected areas will be improved. The legal governance framework around local community tenure systems will be improved. Fiji’s offshore areas will be effectively managed and will take part in the national marine protected area network. Inshore traditional fishing grounds will be effectively managed within locally managed areas.
The status of biodiversity will be improved by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity. At least 10 known threatened plant and animal species will be protected and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, will be improved and sustained. Species resource inventories and databases will be developed and maintained for quality research. Measures will be taken to decrease the illegal trade of endangered and threatened species, and institutional capacity will be enhanced for enforcement and monitoring of the Convention on International Trade in Wild Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). The communication amongst stakeholders, including communities, on threatened and endangered species will be improved. Fiji’s invasive alien species, pathways, risks and threats to biodiversity and livelihoods will be identified. Measures will be taken to control or eradicate priority invasive alien species and to prevent their introduction and establishment. The national legislation, policies and strategies will be strengthened to support effective prevention and management of invasive alien species. The monitoring and surveillance of invasive alien species will be improved.
The underlying causes of biodiversity loss will be addressed. Relevant Access and Benefit Sharing policy and legislation will be developed and maintained. Biodiversity value of traditionally owned land will be enhanced. The NBSAP strategies and action plans will be fully incorporated into Fiji’s National Sustainable Development Strategy, the Green Growth Framework and other sectoral plans to reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use. Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use and management will be integrated into the production, manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, tourism, mining, land-use and transport industries, as well as, into national sustainable development and poverty reduction strategies. Measures will be taken to reduce major threats to forest and water-catchment ecosystems, such as unsustainable logging, agriculture, fisheries, mining and human settlements and to inland waters (watershed, streams, rivers and lakes) such as dredging, floods, gravel extraction, mining, agriculture, deforestation, tourism, sugar, manufacturing, waste management. The coordination of national policies, legislations and management guidelines will be improved to ensure protection of Fiji’s coastal and marine ecosystems. Ecosystem based approaches to coastal fisheries management will be strengthened to reduce overharvesting and destructive fishing methods to maintain and improve coastal and coral reef ecosystems.