Annotated bibliography on socio-economic and ecological impacts of Marine Protected areas in Pacific Island countries

Abstract

The future of Pacific Island peoples is inextricably linked to the region’s coastal ecosystems. Unsurprisingly and with the exception of inland populations in Papua New Guinea, fish provides and is expected to provide the major source of protein for a rapidly growing population for at least the next 20 years (CEC 2000, UNDP 2002, Bell 2007). The role played by Pacific Island reef ecosystems extends far beyond that of sustenance or income generation and includes such vital functions as protection from extreme natural phenomena and providing a central element of Island society and culture – the very identity of Pacific Islanders (Johannes 1981, Hviding 1996, Whittingham et al. 2003).