By Helen Sykes, Marine Ecology Consulting, FIJI

Coral reefs are ancient, living organisms, which have seen and adapted to many changes over millions of years.

It’s one of the oddities of the human race that we expect natural systems to be constant, but as the climate and environment alter, so do reefs around the world, and those in Fiji are no exception.

As you travel around Fiji you will soon come to realise that there are many types of reefs – spectacular hard coral walls, colourful soft coral bommies, dramatic and spooky rocky passages, rubble patches filled with weird and wonderful critters.

What you may not realise is that these reefs change year by year, react to pressures in many different ways, grow and adapt like any other natural ecosystem.

Scientists surveying reefs around Fiji for almost 20 years have recorded many kinds of events that impact the reefs in different areas, and in turn seen how these reefs recover and change after such events.

Things that can affect the amount of live coral on a reef include cyclones, outbreaks of coral-eating Crown of Thorns Starfish, overfishing of key reef-cleaning organisms such as Sea Cucumbers, and sea water temperature rise which leads to coral bleaching.

What is remarkable about Fijian reefs is the speed at which they can recover and restore themselves.

2014 – 2016 was a rough time for many reefs in the South Pacific.

As well as high water temperatures and Crown of Thorns Starfish outbreaks, Cyclone Winston broke up many shallow corals in its path across Fiji in February 2016. Thankfully, 2017 has been more favourable, and it is amazing to see how quickly new coral growth has started on affected reefs.

This is thought to be due to good water quality (Fiji is FAR away from sources of large-scale pollution), high biodiversity (Fiji has more than 1,000 species of reef fish and over 340 coral species) and the wide range of reef systems across the country (it is rare for any coral-damaging event to affect all our reefs at the same time, so there are always healthy corals surviving to spread new coral spawn to affected areas).

Many branching, finger and table corals can grow more than 5 cm a year, and so any small coral colony smaller than your closed fist is probably new coral that arrived after the cyclone.

Reefs in Northern Fiji

During May 2017 surveys by Marine Ecology Consulting, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Vatuvara Foundation in Northern Lau, we saw immense reef walls in the clearest waters found in Fiji, where corals in one section, broken into rubble during the cyclone, were immediately next to pristine walls of spectacular hard coals which had survived unscathed.

In other areas, corals that are normally very sensitive to high water temperatures were healthy and prospering in very warm water, giving a positive indication that corals in Fiji are adapting to water temperature rise.

See National Geographic Ocean Views blog : https://voices.nationalgeographic.com/blog/ocean-views/ and search for “Coral reefs in Northern Lau”.)

In the Vatu-i-Ra Passage and on the Namena Barrier Reef, south of Vanua Levu, hard corals on the shallow reefs tops broke during Cyclone Winston, but flexible soft corals and sea fans were able to ride out the storm, and fish life was teeming around the reefs.

New hard coral growth was already starting to cover old skeletons, but the most exciting thing was to see thousands of newly settled “baby” corals all over the bare rock tops, as coral spawn broadcast in October and November took advantage of the newly cleared spaces to settle and grow.

We counted the new corals under a frame, and in some areas there were more than 30 new corals per square metre of reef top.

On the shallow reefs fringing Taveuni Island, coral rubble from storms is already consolidating into stable substrate and being colonised by new corals.

In some places, hills of this rubble are protecting branching coral gardens behind them from strong waves, and newly settled baby corals can be found starting to reclaim the sea beds.

Baby Coral Gallery

All corals pictured were less than 10 cm (4 inches) across in July 2017, probably less than two years old, and have appeared since the cyclone of February 2016.

They are worth searching for, as with an average growth rate of 5 cm (2 inches) per year, they won’t stay this tiny for long.

Changing Reefs – Hard to Soft

Not all corals make hard calcium skeletons, some make leathery skins instead.

Once such is Sinularia leather coral, which forms large gardens resembling golden wheat-fields, notably at North Save-a-Tack Passage in the Namena Barrier Reef, and at Honeymoon Island in northern Taveuni.

Flexible soft corals have a survival advantage over brittle hard corals during strong waves, and may come to dominate a reef after a cyclone, taking the opportunity to extend their territory in a process called a “phase shift” from a hard coral to a soft coral habitat.

As you can see in the photo, many fish don’t seem to mind the change at all.

So, as you dive and snorkel around the reefs this year, look closely, and see how many new corals you can see. It’s an amazing time to watch the reef literally “re-cover” itself.

Acknowledgements

These surveys and photos were only possible with the support of the following organisations who continue to carry out and support coral reef research – the only way we will ever gain understanding of the processes affecting marine life around our islands.

Thank you all very much.

• Coconut Grove Beachfront Cottages, Taveuni
• Nai’a Dive Liveaboard
• Vatuvara Foundation
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

This article first appeared in  2018 · Fiji Shores and Marinas .

Woven Lovo Baskets

Enter modern society and the arrival of plastics…

So, what can you do while cruising Fiji waters?

Beach Burns Release Toxic Chemicals

Is it OK burn my garbage?

Can I throw my garbage in the sea?

It’s not very nice to do so and with current international and national regulations you may find you are breaking the law. Disposal of ANY plastics any- where into the sea is prohibited under both international regulations (MARPOL 73/78) and Fiji national law (Maritime Transport Decree 2013*).

Under international regulations, which may apply to your vessel, only food waste can be disposed of into the sea. Specifically, in the Pacific, discharge of non-ground food waste is only permitted 12 miles or more from land.

The Fiji Maritime Transport Decree 2013 states that any ship (including yachts) within Fiji waters may discharge food waste, paper, rags, glass, metal, bottles, and crockery if—

a) the garbage has been ground to a particle size of 25 millimeters or less; and

b) the discharge occurs at least

i. 3 nautical miles from the nearest reef system; and

ii. 0.5 nautical miles from any offshore installation or device.

You should also familiarize your- self with Biosecurity requirements before first arriving into Fiji.

*find The Maritime Transport Decree 2013 online at www.msaf.com.fj

Recycling Centre, Port Denarau Marina

Waste Recyclers (Fiji) Ltd are willing to accept recyclables directly from you, our visiting yachtsmen and women, at their offices in Suva (Lot 26 Wailada Industrial Estate, Lami) or Lautoka (Bouwalu Street). They will accept: clean crushed aluminium cans, clean crushed tin cans, washed PET bottles, newspapers and cardboard. Call Amitesh on +679 992 1067 for more information.

Please support out recycling programs!

Collect your Packets

Cleaned and prepared plastic packaging (chips, cookies, crackers, noodle, etc) are woven into beautiful bags and purses that are available for purchase for around FJ$15-25. You may come across them in boutique shops and resorts around the country.

Women Preparing the Packets

If you would like to go one step further with your onboard recycling, you can collect such plastic wrappers, and when you reach mainland, post them to PO Box 480, Pacific Harbour. We will pass them on to GVI-Fiji who will ensure they reach the women’s groups who will then turn your packets into purses!

Another project of GVI-Fiji has seen them helping to promote Nadi Town Council’s initiative with local women’s groups to create ‘Eco Bags’ from the otherwise discarded off-cuts from fabric manufacturers in Nadi. These beautifully colourful tote bags are designed and sewn by local women as sustainable alternatives to plastic carrier bags and available from the Nadi Town Council Office on the main street in Nadi for FJ$5.

The finished product on display

In Suva both the Eco Bags and the woven ‘trash purses’ can be found in the Flea Market opposite the bus station.

Join the Count!

Easy to do, this is suitable for visitors and locals alike, whether you like to fish, snorkel, or SCUBA dive.

We’re passionate about keeping our shark population healthy, cruising the reef, hanging tough, playing cool. Which is why it’s important we learn as much as we can about these magnificent creatures.

Over millennia these prehistoric vertebrates have survived everything the universe has thrown at them…that is until humans came along. Hunted for their fins and caught up in fishing nets, unfortunately their numbers world-wide are dwindling!

Photo: Brigitte Dewhirst

By having many eyes on many reefs, we can collect data from hundreds of observers around Fiji to paint a clear picture of which sharks live where, and get an idea of shark, ray and turtle numbers within our waters.

We hope that tourists, school children, scientists and all people with an interest in the marine environment will take to the reefs with us to search for the Sharks of Fiji!

“People flock to Fiji for this event and we’re pretty excited by the response we’re getting”, said Ms Nani Ledua of Pacific Harbours Beqa Adventure Divers.

Here in Fiji we have a trained response team that you can call should you happen upon a whale stranding while cruising our waters.

Please call 918 7614 or 336 1122 and be prepared with as much information as you can gather such as your exact location, how many whales, their species (click here for identification guide), and any injury you can see the animal has sustained.

We hope that you get to sail alongside some of our magnificent cetaceans during your visit, please click here for the best and safest (for you and the cetacean) way to navigate and enjoy your interaction.

Tabua

The teeth of stranded individuals are removed from the lower jaw (as they only have teeth in their lower  jaw) cleaned, polished and threaded onto a fibre necklace. They are not really worn (although apparently were by high ranking chiefs once upon a time), but presented as a symbol of great respect at special occasions such as weddings, funerals and births.

Photo: wdc.org

Tabua also appear in the first stage of a marriage ritual when requesting the hand of a maiden; a tabua is presented to the girls father, and if accepted, the couple are betrothed. When approaching a landowner for a piece of land upon which to build a house, or to plant crops, a tabua will usually be presented. A tabua is also used to emphasizes an apology. The size of a tabua determines its value, the larger the tooth, the more weight it carries.

Tabua as Souvenirs?

Because of their importance in Fiji’s culture and their rarity (sperm whales are listed on CITES Appendix I, CMS Appendix I & II, and the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable), you would need to obtain written permission from both the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry iTaukei Affairs and the Department of Environment to export a Tabua. An import permit for the country(ies) that it would be taken to would also be necessary.

All in all – a bit of a headache, so if you are not Fijian, it’s probably best to leave them here. You can find authentic looking carved wooden examples in the Handicraft Markets that make an excellent substitute – and lets face it, who back home would ever know the difference!

Here in Fiji there are some great national projects you can choose to participate in as you cruise our waters.

The first is the national Whale & Dolphin Sightings Database. The second is the endemic seabird, the Fiji Petrel Sightings Database. The third is The Great Fiji Shark Count and the fourth is the Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Database.

If you are keen to get involved with either project, you will find downloadable pdf sightings forms here:

Fiji Whale Sightings Form

Fiji Sea Petrel Sightings Form

Sea Turtle Nesting Beach Form

The Great Fiji Shark Count Form

Read through the feature articles and sighting forms carefully so you know what information to take note of when you encounter these creatures.

You can email your completed forms directly to the contact person listed on the form, or send back to the team here at Fiji Marinas and we will make sure your contributions are submitted to the correct people.

This very important information will help Fiji gather valuable data on some of our resident and migratory endangered species and your contribution will be significant in helping us achieve our goal of bringing these magnificent animals back from the brink of extinction!

Join in some of these Citizen Science Projects!

It is believed that fewer than 50 pairs survive today, breeding in 52 km2 of rugged forest on the island of Gau in Lomaiviti.

Fiji Petrel at sea, 20 nm south of Gau, May 2009. Photo: Tubenoses Project © Hadoram Shirihai/NFMV

The Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel

Nesting grounds for these birds have yet to be located; and as land-based threats through predation from introduced (think BioSecurity!) cats, rats and feral pigs increase, action to locate the nests and respond to such threats has become more urgent.

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti is Fiji’s only domestic NGO working solely for the conservation and sustainable management of Fiji’s unique natural heritage. Recognizing the key role to be played by Fiji’s indigenous landowners, NatureFiji-MareqetiViti promotes a greater understanding and awareness of Fiji’s endemic wildlife such as the Fiji Petrel.

As such, working closely with the landowners of Gau Island and using New Zealand trained Petrel Search Dogs and acoustic attraction methods; the team is trying to locate nesting burrows with the hope of initiating a conversion to nest boxes.

© Hadoram Shirihai/NFMV

33 species of ”tubenoses” (petrels, shearwaters etc) have been recorded in Fiji waters, of which four nest. Two of these: the Collared petrel (Pterodoma brevipes; Handling Birdlife Vulnerable), and the Fiji petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayii; Critically Endangered) are found on the island of Gau.

The ultimate goal of NatureFijiMareqetiViti is to establish a safe nesting colony by translocating Fiji petrel nestlings to fledge in the safety of artificial nest boxes, after which time, the juveniles will leave, but return to the safe nesting colony to establish a protected Fiji petrel colony.

In 2009 the Fiji petrel was photographed at sea for the first time by Hadoram Shirihai, but there have been 20 recorded landings of Fiji petrels – attracted at night to village lights. NatureFiji-MareqetiViti need as much information as we can collectively gather, whether on land or at sea.

This is where YOU come in.

While sailing around the islands of Fiji, particularly around Gau and the Koro Sea please keep your eyes open for any Fiji petrels and record your sighting on the Fiji Petrel Encounters Form (pdf 1.9MB)

When you reach shore, if you can detach and mail the sightings form to the address provided and NatureFijiMareqetiViti can hopefully begin painting a clearer picture of our Fiji petrels and initiate measures to bring them back from the edge of extinction.

NatureFiji-MareqetiViti is the Species Guardian for the Fiji Petrel which is a priority species of BirdLife International’s Preventing Extinctions Programme.

For more information, see NatureFiji-MareqetiViti and Birdlife International ,  or contact Dick Watling at watl…@naturefiji.org

How to handle a seabird

How to release a seabird

A Guide to the Birds of Fiji

If you’d like to know more about the Sea and Shore Birds that you are in some instances likely, while in others extremely lucky to see while cruising Fiji, we highly recommend ordering a copy of the Pocket Poster Guide To the Birds of Fiji 2 Sea and Shore Birds’ from the Nature-Fiji website. With a tough laminated cover, the guide is cleverly designed and folded to be read as a pocket-sized book or opened out to an informative poster.

Every breeding bird and regular migrant (including the Fiji Petrel) is illustrated in full colour, and each bird has a paragraph of text with identification and size information.

Humpback whales are seen migrating through our waters, as they travel to Tonga to breed and calve after feeding in Antarctica. There are large groups of pilot whales that inhabit our waters, and false killer whales that seem to come through annually singing loudly as they do!

Of course we also have the odd individual that you may encounter, minkes and sperm whales being the most common.

L. Molleson/WDC images | Learn more about cetaceans here 

Cetaceans may be disturbed by the presence of people, vessels or aircraft. In order to ensure the conservation of these magnificent animals in our region, it is our responsibility to minimize the disturbance caused by our presence.

Towards that goal, the collaborative efforts of SPREP, Cetacea, IFAW, and FFEM have produced some regional best practice guidelines.

Regional best practice guidelines

Whale and dolphin watching activities can potentially cause long-term disturbance to cetacean populations, which include:

• Disruption of behavior (e.g. feeding, nursing, mating, migrating);
• Displacement from important habitat areas (e.g. resting, feeding, breeding and calving areas);
• Long term stress;
• Injury;
• Reduced breeding success;
• Increased mortality.

Changes in the behavior of whales and dolphins need to be recognized and acknowledged as such, so that animals can be left undisturbed. The following behaviors may indicate that a whale or dolphin is affected by our presence:

• Changes in swimming speed or direction (to avoid boat);
• Changes in breathing / diving patters;
• Stopping or changing activity patterns (e.g. vocalizing, feeding, nursing, socializing);
• Changes in group size and cohesion; changes in acoustic behavior and surface behaviors such as peduncle tail throws and trumpet blows.
  

  NEVER get between a mother and her calf.

Populations, and individual cetaceans may react differently depending on the species, their age, sex, and if accompanied by a calf. Do not encircle animals and always leave them an ‘escape’ route.

Persons shall always:

• Operate vessels so as not to disrupt the normal movement or behavior of whales and dolphins; 
• Stop any interactions with a cetacean at any sign of the animal becoming disturbed or alarmed;
• Allow cetaceans to determine the nature and duration of interactions.
  

  Caution zone: The caution zone is the area within 100m – 300m from a whale and 50m – 300m from a dolphin. Source: Pacific Islands regional guidelines for whale and dolphin watching. September 2008.
  SPREP Cetacea, IFAW, and FFEM.

Therefore, the following recommendations need to be considered:

• Do not touch a cetacean;
• Do not feed a cetacean;
• Do not make any loud or sudden noises;
• Do not make sudden or repeated changes in direction or speed;
• Dedicated observers should be on duty in addition to the captain of the vessel;
• Do not place a vessel up wind of, or in a position where it will drift into, the no-approach zone (see diagram).

When vessels are within the caution zone of whales or dolphins:

• Approach cetaceans slowly and cautiously;
• Observe cetaceans at a speed not exceeding the speed of the animals;
• No more than 3 vessels should be in the caution zone of a whale or dolphin at a time. Coordinate approaches into the viewing zone with other vessels to avoid “trapping” whales or dolphins;
• Leave boat engine on and in idle when watching cetaceans;
• Do not disperse or separate a group of cetaceans;
• A vessel should not chase, encircle, block the direction of travel of cetaceans, or position itself in the middle of a pod;
• If cetaceans approach a vessel, slow down gradually and put engines in idle;
• If cetaceans approach a vessel to bow-ride, maintain a slow and steady speed and avoid sudden changes in course;
• When departing from watching cetaceans, determine where the animals are relative to the vessel to avoid collisions or coming too close to the animals, and increase speed gradually while exiting the caution zone.

The most appropriate method for approaching a whale or a dolphin is from the side and slightly to the rear of the animal. Avoid approaches from head on or directly from behind.

Report Whale and Dolphin Sightings

There are sightings of humpack whales being reported from all over Fiji! Some females set up camp in a nice shallow, sheltered bay to calf while many others are just pausing to say “Hello” en route to Tonga to do the same. Sightings have been recorded in locations such as Lau, Beqa, Namena, Savusavu, Koro and Macuata.

This is where YOU can help us determine a clearer picture of numbers, and migratory patterns of our whales!

Whale Encounters Form (pdf 1.8MB)

If you encounter a humpback whale (or any other species of whale for that matter) you can record the information about the sighting on the form(pdf here), tear it out and post it off to the provided address from the next post office you visit.

Dr Miller and her colleagues at the Department of Fisheries will add your data into the national database and compile the findings that will help our government conserve and better protect whales and dolphins in Fiji.