Coastal zone management and conservation in the South Pacific

Abstract

Most marine coastal conservation efforts have been species - focused and sea turles have received special attention, efforts having been made to boost depleted populations by protecting nesting beaches and hatchlings.For all the dedication,time and money applied to turtle conservation projects their effectiveness in the South Pacific region remains uncertain. Apart from the ecological questions which arise there is one very important lesson to be learned from these efforts - that, without a firm commitment and involvement of all affected local communities such projects must eventually fail.