By Loretta B Manele

Robust scientific outputs have proved to be essential for fisheries management.

Rhea Moss-Christian, executive director for WCPFC (Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission) assured this whilst speaking at the recent Honiara Summit’s Session 4: “Supporting fisheries sustainability through science” last month.

She said in almost three decades of experience at the WCPFC, they have seen that robust scientific outputs have been essential in guiding fisheries management.

“We also know, for those who have been involved in negotiating conservation and management measures, that when our decisions are built on reliable and well-analysed data, we see tangible benefits.”

Moss-Christian stated that they have seen healthier fish populations, more resilient ecosystems and communities that continue to thrive.

She explained that these assessments conducted through rigorous data collection and advanced modelling techniques, have allowed fisheries managers to adjust conservation and management measures dynamically.

Moss-Christian said the ability to adapt to new data in real-time have proven invaluable, particularly in face-to-face uncertainties that we’re facing by climate variability and changing ocean conditions.

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By Loretta B Manele

To be able to thrive in the marine ecosystem, healthy fish need healthy oceans.

Dr Eva Plaganyi, Senior principal research scientist and research group leader based at CSIRO Environment, Australia stressed on the sentiment when contributing to a session at the Honiara Summit late last month.

She voiced that healthy fish will need healthy oceans to sustain and this is related to addressing plastic pollution in the ocean and ensuring a healthy habitat so fish can be conserved and sustained.

Plaganyi said one of the programmes they are rolling out is on the amount of plastic pollution there is in the ocean.

“My organisation is particularly passionate about trying to help with managing, assisting, as well as reducing some of that plastic pollution.”

Plaganyi stated that if we don’t look after the habitat for the fish, we won’t be able to specifically conserve them.

She said this on a broader scope, applies to habitat conservation including things like river inputs and estuaries where a number of fish rely on estuaries for their life cycle and to keep generating those sustainable yields.

Moreover, in this case, Plaganyi stated that we’re increasingly getting squeezed in the marine space by conflict between different sectors.

She said this is because of the need for water for different industries whether it is agriculture or mining.

“We need to improve the way in which we holistically look at how can we manage healthy fish stocks in conjunction with some of these other industries.”

She also stated that there needs to be transformation in our food systems so that collectively, we’re optimising the food security benefits and reducing the carbon footprint and the ecological footprint of those food production systems.

Plaganyi pointed out that this is an area where science can help with reducing the waste and helping ensure we’re protecting the habitats for fish species.

“There’s been a big move to ecosystem approaches to fisheries, which considers multi-species components, as well as ecosystem-based fisheries management, which more broadly considers interactions with other sectors.

Those considerations to frame our fisheries management are also really important, given, as I mentioned, the growing blue economy and the need to balance between conservation and sustainable utilisation.

That’s also an area where our scientific models are able to integrate some of the complexity of all of these different interactions and help make transparent what are the trade-offs in different management strategies, which is really important for us to proactively plan how we go ahead into the future.”

Plaganyi pointed out that to support sustainable fisheries going forward, we need to look after the industries and fisheries themselves and with extreme events increasingly impacting fisheries around the world, we don’t yet have mature marine insurance such as parametric methods that can help support those industries and communities to continue focusing into the future.

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Government has come out to explain the actions of the Mines and Energy minister in cancelling the prospecting licence of a company for the mineral rich Koloula catchment in South Guadalcanal.

Responding to a call from the Opposition Leader questioning the cancellation, a Government Communication Unit in a statement this week clarified the air over the matter.

The Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification (MMERE) wishes to address public concerns regarding Minister Bradley Tovosia’s recent decision to revoke the intention to issue a prospecting license to Ni Hao Investment (SI) Ltd over Koloula, the statement said.

After careful consideration and consultation with relevant stakeholders, the intention was decided to be revoked.

The Ministry would like to assure the public that this decision was made in the best interest of the country and its resources.

MMERE remains committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in all matters related to mining and energy in the Solomon Islands.

Minister Tovosia acknowledges the discussions and differing opinions surrounding this decision and seeks clarity, the statement said.

The following key points outline the rationale and legal basis for the Minister’s decision:

i. Due Process and Consideration

The Minerals Board reviewed the renewal application from Ni Hao Investment (SI) Ltd in its meeting on 6th February 2024. Following a comprehensive assessment, the Board recommended rejecting the application. However, in exercising his statutory authority, the Minister conditionally approved the application, emphasizing strict compliance with prospecting requirements.

Minister Tovosia’s decision was based on the principles of due process and fair consideration, considering all relevant factors. By approving the renewal application with conditions, the Minister aimed to balance the interests of both the investor and the state, ensuring that all legal requirements were met. This decision reflects a careful and deliberative approach to governing natural resource investments, prioritizing accountability and transparency in decision-making processes.

ii. Conditions of Approval

As part of the conditional approval, a Letter of Intent was issued on 26th August 2024, explicitly requiring the successful negotiation and conclusion of a Surface Access Agreement (SAA) before formally issuing the prospecting license. This condition is a standard requirement to ensure lawful access and minimize disputes.

The Surface Access Agreement will clarify the terms and conditions for access to the land for prospecting activities. It will outline the responsibilities of both parties and establish guidelines for environmental protection and restoration. By prioritizing legal compliance and cooperation, the government aims to foster positive relationships between resource investors and local communities, promoting sustainable regional development.

iii. Community Concerns and Access Issues

The Ministry received multiple objections from key stakeholders, including local landowners and community representatives, raising serious concerns about accessibility and consent for prospecting activities in the proposed area. These objections highlighted the lack of guarantees that Ni Hao Investment (SI) Ltd would secure full and unhindered access to conduct prospecting operations.

iv. Minister’s Statutory Responsibility

Given the significance of landowner concerns and the potential for operational difficulties, the Minister acted within his legal mandate to ensure that any approved prospecting activity has a reasonable prospect of success. The absence of clear access assurances would have posed significant obstacles to effective mineral exploration. Therefore, the Minister prioritised addressing these objections and working with Ni Hao Investment (SI) Ltd to establish a clear plan for securing access to the proposed area.

The Minister fulfilled his statutory responsibility to promote responsible and successful mineral exploration while respecting landowners’ concerns. This proactive approach ultimately paved the way for a more collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship between all parties involved in the prospecting activities.

v. Final Decision

In light of these developments, the Minister determined that proceeding with the issuance of the prospecting license would not be in the best interest of the stakeholders involved, nor would it align with the ministry’s commitment to responsible and conflict-free resource development.

Consequently, the decision to revoke the intention to issue the prospecting license was made by legal and procedural frameworks. This decision marked a significant turning point in the ministry’s approach to resource development, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and responsible decision-making.

MMERE reiterates its commitment to transparency, responsible resource management, and stakeholder engagement.

“We encourage open dialogue and cooperation among all parties to ensure the sustainable development of the nation’s mineral resources.”

War wrecks not covered by international agreements. Largest ship grave in front of Honiara

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

In front of Honiara lies Solomon Islands’ largest number of World War II wrecks beneath the Iron Bottom Sound sea, posing a huge environmental disaster risk.

But, to date, there is no international agreement to address this risk in the case that the oil products contained in the wrecks start leaking.

Paul Irving, marine pollution officer for the PAC Plan Resilience Project from Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), raised the concern to Island Sun in an exclusive interview this week.

“3,500 World War II wrecks in the Pacific still have oil on them, and it’s a big and difficult problem to deal with. Solomon Islands has a lot of them,” said Mr Irving.

He said that the wrecks are now at least 70 to 80 years old since they sank.

“The oil was a cargo because they were a tanker, or whether the oil was fuel.  Some of those ships might start to leak a little bit of the oil inside of them, and the question becomes, is what do we do with that?” he said.

He stressed that international agreements do not cover War wrecks.

“There’s no international agreement like you have with oil tankers or cargo ships now. I think the Solomon government should be engaging in international discussions about whether there could be a new international instrument or a new international organisation to start dealing with the problem of potentially polluting wrecks,” he said.

“It’s a difficult problem. The difficulty comes from the fact that the ships are also war graves. Some still have the original cargos, which might mean ammunition, tanks, bullets or explosives. So, they’re not safe. And so, it’s a real big problem,” he said.

“Any oil inside them held by the steel will start to bubble out when it rusts. That is nasty oil. It’s World War II-quality fuel and World War II-quality crude oil,” said Irving.

He said that most of the wrecks are Japanese, and there’s an issue of who owns them.

“The model that I look at and think is so successful is the organisation that deals with landmines. After a war, the landmines get left behind, and the people who have to face those are the local farmers and the local population. So, several countries have come together and said, we’ll help clean it up.

“It’s not being done fast because it’s a big job. I think the same needs to be done with potentially polluting wrecks, where there’s an international agreement, a coalition of countries that have the expertise and perhaps the history, Japan, the United States, UK, Australia, who have that history associated with these wrecks, could come together and be helpful,” said Irving.

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