News from the Atoll | April 2021
ZPR committee on Tetiaroa
Tetiaroa Society is part of a government-sponsored committee that regulates the rules regarding the no-take fishing zone (Zone de Pêche Réglementée or ZPR) in Tetiaroa's lagoon. The committee is overseen by the Minister of the Sea, and the Direction Resource Marine (DRM). Other members of this committee include representatives from: The Brando, Frangipani (Brando Trust), Te Mana o te Moana, the Mayor of Arue’s office, one environmental NGO, and two fishing cooperatives.
Tetiaroa Society and The Brando invited the committee to stay with us on Onetahi for a weekend to present our scientific, conservation, and education programs and to generate helpful discussions about fisheries management within the committee. The weekend was a huge success with interest and appreciation of the work we are doing and wonderful exchange of stories and points of view. The group analyzed and discussed the 2020 Tetiaroa Society Fishing Report, and the weekend ended with a productive discussion of the future of the fishery on Tetiaroa, both lagoon and outer reef.
Nature Notes ... Herbivorous Fish and the Coral Reef
The importance of sound fisheries management to maintain healthy coral reefs (and the importance of healthy coral reefs to a robust fishing program) has been known to Polynesians for a long time. An interesting local scientific research program now sheds light on how this works – and illustrates the importance of employing traditional knowledge to maintain a healthy fishing environment.
After the Crown-of-Thorns starfish outbreak and Cyclone Oli, the coral reefs on Tetiaroa and Moorea were in very bad shape. Everyone wondered if they would recover. Scientists from the Long-term Ecological Research program (LTER), working at the UC Berkeley Gump Research station, decided to use this as an opportunity to see how a coral reef responds to a major stress like this. The LTER scientists found that coral larvae, still abundant in planktonic form, were trying to settle on old dead coral surfaces, but brown algae was settling faster. Soon most of the surface of the dead reef was covered with algae, blocking the return of coral to the system. But then, presumably because these islands still have a robust fish population, the herbivorous fish species with plenty of algae to eat, began to multiply. Their populations grew until they ate up most of the algae and created space for the coral larvae to settle. And the coral came back. The system slowly shifted until the outer slopes of the reefs on Tetiaroa and Moorea were covered with tiny corals. The key to the recovery of the reefs was a healthy fish population, particularly the herbivorous fish like Surgeonfish and Parrotfish. These also happen to be the species that local people like to eat the most, so it raises a problem.
Read more about these herbivorous fish.
Fishing report
Tetiaroa Society rangers keep watch over fishing activity in and around the atoll.
In 2020, Tetiaroa Society’s Ranger team, led by Head Ranger Teva Beguet, surveyed fishermen who came to fish on Tetiaroa by analyzing photos of their catch. What they found was that fishermen are targeting only a few species of fish but taking large numbers of those.
Tetiaroa’s 2020 fishing reportshows that it is exactly the key herbivorous fish that are being targeted for capture by fishermen. A full 70% of the fish taken from Tetiaroa fall into this category and 50% are just one species. This leaves the coral reef of Tetiaroa vulnerable to major stress events. Keeping our ecosystems healthy is one of the best ways to prepare for climate-related changes and this means working to understand our marine ecosystems and then regulating our impact on them.
Hot off the Press! “Transformational Opportunities for People, Ocean, Planet”
Great strides have been made with Tetiaroa Society’s Blue Climate Initiative (BCI) over the past year, and we are now delighted to announce the publication of a new book by BCI entitled “Transformational Opportunities for People, Ocean, Planet.” This book is the result of collaboration with over 60 world-renowned ocean experts who identified compelling opportunities to use the remarkable power of the ocean to tackle climate change and sustainably meet humanity’s needs. You can download the book atBCI: Transformational Opportunities for People, Ocean, Planet. If you would like a hard copy of the book, please use this Order Form.
Outside Magazine article “We had Marlon Brando’s Island Utopia to Ourselves”
Outside Magazine recently featured Tetiaroa in an article by author Hampton Sides. You can read it here.
Tetiaroa Society receives generous support from The Brando for our core operations, but our ability to carry out innovative programs depends on your help -- any amount is appreciated!
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Tetiaroa Society is a US registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID #45-1080688). We host scientific research, develop and implement conservation and education programs, and curate the island's knowledge base. We partner with The Brando to establish Tetiaroa as a model for sustainability, where businesses, non-profits, scientists, educators and the local community work together for common goals. Our program objectives are summarized in our Conservation and Sustainable Use Plan, which is available on our website.
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