For communities that rely on Fiji’s waters for food, livelihoods and business, new rules could shape how the country’s marine resources are managed in the years ahead.

Cabinet has endorsed work to develop regulations for a legally binding Marine Spatial Plan under the Climate Change Act 2021.

The plan is intended to create a national approach to managing Fiji’s marine areas while balancing conservation with sustainable economic activity. It supports Fiji’s goal of effectively managing all of its waters and establishing marine protected areas across 30 per cent of them by 2030.

The proposed regulations will set out how the plan is developed, approved, implemented and reviewed. They will also cover public participation, government coordination, enforcement, financing and the protection of traditional and customary rights.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Ministry of Fisheries will lead the process, working with the Solicitor-General’s Office and other government agencies.