Marine Protected Areas  

Baraulu/Bulelavata Resource Management and Development Plan

The main objectives of the Baraulu/Bulelavata Resource Management and Development Plan are to assist the people of Baraulu/Bulelavata (1) to establish permanent and seasonal community-based Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) under customary sea tenure, (2) to build a Health Clinic in Baraulu to serve the people of central Roviana Lagoon, and (3) to establish and implement a Women's Sewing Project in Baraulu and Bulelavata villages.

The Baraulu/Bulelavata Resource Management and Development Plan is especially designed to make sure that:

  • The ecological processes critical to the self sustainability of the local lagoon systems are protected,
  • The stewardship and long-term responsibility and commitment to conservation of the local resources and culture are maintained and reinforced, and
  • Such conservation activities are integrated with long-term development activities that directly benefit the local communities (i.e. Health Clinic and Women's Sewing Project). Unlike most conservation initiatives that focus exclusively on preservation of marine biological diversity, this project also works towards local developmental needs.

Thus, the Resource Management and Development Plan benefits the Roviana people in three fundamental ways:

1 A permanent Marine Protected Area (MPA) has been established in the Ilaka, Mudala, Onone, and bordering inner lagoon reefs. The MPA will allow local communities to restore and protect critical inner lagoon habitats and resources. In addition, a spatio-temporal refugia has been established permanently with an extension of year round "no take-zone" in the Koqu Piu and Veke areas in Duduli and Rereghana (established 1999);

2 A Health Clinic is being built in the village of Baraulu to provide much needed health service to the people of central Roviana Lagoon.

3 The Women's Sewing Project has been established and implemented in Baraulu and Bulelavata villages in order to provide local women with income to support local enterprises such as the construction of a permanent facility for women's activities, sending local women to nursing and vocational schools in Honiara, and other initiatives.

The Baraulu/Bulelavata Resource Management and Development Plan perfectly fits within the Programme of Action of the Solomon Islands government for the 2002-2005 periods. The comprehensiveness of the plan makes it a unique management tool for the achievement of national priorities in the education, health and medical, conservation and rural development sectors.

Established MPAs:

A permanent "No-Take" Zone that prohibits the harvest of all existing resources. The main objectives of this initiative are to: (1) preserve representative lagoon shallow-reef habitats, (2) provide a safe heaven for bumphead parrotfish, triggerfish, and other species, (3) preserve bumphead parrotfish nursery areas, (4) allow for the recovery of depleted stocks of bêche-de-mer and other marine products, and (5) allow for the general habitat regeneration of certain areas of the reef that have been seriously damaged by human activity. This area is closed in perpetuity and the disturbance of the reef habitat is prohibited. This area is designated as Zone 1 (see Map 1).


Map 1 (click for larger view)

A temporal "No-Take" Zone that will remain closed to all harvesting of deo (Polymesoda spp.), riki kosiri (Anadara granosa) and other mangrove dwelling species during certain times of the year. The main objective of this regime is to regulate the harvest of the economically valuable deo and riki kosiri. This area (Zone 2) will be open for fishing and netting during the masa rane season from May to September only (see Map 2).


Map 2 (click for larger view)

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