Caribbean Island Enacts Ocean Zoning Regulations

The Barbuda Council has enacted new ocean management regulations that zone Barbuda’s coastal waters, strengthen fisheries management, and establish a network of marine sanctuaries. According to a National Geographic article on this these new regulations:

“This comes after seventeen months of extensive community consultation and scientific research supported by the Waitt Institute. With these new policies, the small island of Barbuda has become a Caribbean ocean conservation leader and global role model.

Fiji Creates National Marine Park

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature explains that

“In November 2014, the Fiji Shark Reef Marine Reserve will formally be declared a National Marine Park by the government of Fiji. This is a first in the archipelago and the result of an excellent local initiative which took 11 years to succeed from which the whole community will benefit.

The Shark Reef Marine Reserve is a shark sanctuary completely dedicated to the conservation and research of sharks where divers can observe and safely interact with 8 different species of shark, from Whitetip Reef sharks to impressive Tiger Sharks.