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The management plan describes the priority strategies for the upland areas of the Lake Lanuto'o National Park that will nest maintain and improve the key conservation values in these areas by reducing the impact of threats including from climate change.

Mineral extraction from seabed has experienced a recent surge of interest from both the mining industry and marine scientists. While improved methods of geological investigation have enabled the mapping of new seafloor mineral reserves, the ecological impacts of mining in both the deep sea and the shallow seabed are poorly known.

In the early 1980s Spring’s report on marine turtle species distribution indicated there were 6 species of turtles that could be found in PNG water including the green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, olive ridley and the flatback turtles. Over 30 years later, there is growing doubt if the other two species, the olive ridley and the flatback turtles do actually occur in PNG waters as well. This need to be confirmed.

The blue economy is an approach put forward by the international community to take into account the health of the oceans and seas as we strive to balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. This concept promotes economic growth, social inclusion and improved livelihoods at the same time as ensuring the environmental sustainability of oceans and seas. It defines a new paradigm of ocean economy, one that is in balance with the long-term capacity of the assets, goods and services of marine ecosystems, and that considers social inclusiveness.

Coral reef ecosystems are seriously threatened by changing conditions in the ocean. Although many factors are implicated, climate change has emerged as a dominant and rapidly growing threat.

The Independent Pacific Island States are home to a diverse array of heritage sites. These include impressive marine and terrestrial ecosystems, sites evidencing the development if island societies, and placed of significance due to their connection with the customs of Pacific islanders. The World Heritage Conservation requires State parties to implement the legal measures needed to protect the World Heritage within their borders, but does not mandate what firm that legislation must take.

This paper focuses on aspects of governance and management of seabed minerals. Cook islands is presented as an example of a Pacific small island developing State (PSIDS) that has progressed a range of governance and protocols to a mature level particularly considering it's small population.

The Tongan Government recognized the important of spatial management, including of its ocean, since 2012, with the launch of their National Spatial Planning Act. In 2015, for the first time in Tongan history, three Ministries submitted a joint paper to Cabinet to initiate marine spatial planning for the nation (Ministries of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communications (MEIDECC); Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR); and Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries (MAFFF)). Through this paper, on 22 July 2015 Cabinet decided that cross-sectoral planning and coordination for integrated ocean management was needed. Thus, the Oceans 7 was established (Tonga’s marine spatial planning technical working group). The Oceans 7 is co-chaired by the three Ministries that prepared the original cabinet paper and also includes four other Ministries (thus comprising the Oceans “7”).