Executive Summary:
2011 was declared the Pacific Year of the Dugong. With a regional theme “Respect and Protect”, the campaign aimed at increasing protection of dugongs and their habitats by raising awareness, improving knowledge and fostering partnerships for conservation of dugongs and their habitats. Led by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UN Environment Programme/CMS), the campaign aimed to initiate sustainable and long-term dugong protection by fostering community participation in environmental stewardship by improving their economic livelihoods.
Background:
Dugongs have high cultural value, are a valued source of food, medicine and artifacts, and thus are an important species for coastal people. Dugongs also play a significant ecological role in maintaining coastal habitats.
A new pilot project using financial incentives to address direct hunting and the incidental capture of dugongs by changing people’s practices and improving the livelihoods of local communities was one of the initiatives to be promoted under the Pacific Year of the Dugong in 2011.
The initiative to protect the dugong, led by SPREP targeted local coastal and fishing communities and water craft users in the Pacific region by showing that livelihoods and conservation are linked.
More information can be found in the media release to the right.
