Vanuatu has awarded its highest civilian honour to international ocean conservationist Ted Waitt as the government released the Final Science Report from the country’s most extensive coral reef study to date.
The award recognizes Waitt’s role in Blue Prosperity Vanuatu, a partnership between the Government of Vanuatu and the Waitt Institute focused on protecting and managing Vanuatu’s ocean while supporting sustainable ocean-based livelihoods. The Final Science Report and accompanying management recommendations were released following the nationwide Coral Reef Study conducted from 1–21 September 2023.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat said the report provides up-to-date data needed to address widespread concerns about declining ocean health. He noted the study makes clear that marine resources have been overexploited and stressed the need to manage those resources carefully amid climate pressures and population growth. “On behalf of the Vanuatu Government, I sincerely thank Waitt and the Waitt Institute for their invaluable assistance in strengthening our ocean governance,” PM Napat said.
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Maritime Affairs Jack Norris described the report as a turning point for marine protection policy, saying it supplies essential information to guide practical action and policy to safeguard coral reefs—critical for coastal communities and national food security. He said the government will take immediate steps to act on the report’s recommendations, warning that “the cost of doing nothing is too great.”
Study scope and collaborators
– The Coral Reef Study surveyed ocean health across all six provinces and is the most comprehensive scientific assessment of Vanuatu’s marine ecosystems to date.
– The expedition, led by the Government in partnership with the Waitt Institute, included local scientists, traditional leaders, NGOs, and international researchers, including a team from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
– Baseline data were collected on reef fish populations, coral communities, marine invertebrates (such as sea cucumbers and giant clams), and water quality.
Management approach
The report’s recommendations combine scientific findings with prior research and traditional knowledge, building on Vanuatu’s long history of community-based marine management—kastom marine tenure, tabu areas, and traditional governance systems. Findings reinforce the Blue Prosperity Vanuatu goals to fully protect at least 30 percent and sustainably manage 100 percent of the nation’s marine territory.
Broader context
Ted Waitt and the Waitt Institute have supported Blue Prosperity initiatives across the Pacific and collaborated with scientific and conservation partners regionally. Such partnerships aim to blend modern science with community stewardship and customary practices to create durable ocean management strategies.
Additional comments and logical explanation
– Why this matters: Baseline, countrywide scientific data are essential to identify priority areas for protection, set measurable targets, design marine protected areas, and track changes over time—especially as climate change shifts reef conditions.
– Immediate priorities should include converting the report’s recommendations into funded, time-bound policy actions; strengthening community monitoring and enforcement capacity; and integrating economic support for alternative livelihoods to reduce fishing pressure.
– Long-term success will depend on sustained funding, regional collaboration, and continued integration of kastom governance with national management frameworks.
Summary of key points
– Vanuatu’s president awarded Ted Waitt the nation’s highest civilian honour.
– Final Science Report released from the September 2023 nationwide Coral Reef Study—the largest assessment of Vanuatu’s reefs to date.
– Study involved local and international scientists, including Scripps researchers, and gathered baseline data on fish, corals, invertebrates, and water quality.
– Recommendations blend science with traditional knowledge; the government commits to act and to ambitious protection and sustainable management targets (30% protection, 100% sustainable management).
Hopeful perspective
The combination of comprehensive science, government commitment, and customary marine management offers a strong foundation for meaningful change. If the report’s recommendations are implemented and resourced, Vanuatu can strengthen food security, sustain coastal livelihoods, and demonstrate a model of science-plus-tradition conservation that other Pacific nations can adapt.
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