Lau chiefs renew five‑year agreement to protect oceans, culture

Traditional leaders in Lau have taken a decisive step to safeguard their ocean, culture and future generations with the signing of a renewed five-year agreement under the Lau Seascape Programme.

The landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), signed in November last year between Conservation International (CI) and the Bose Vanua o Lau, sets a shared vision for the programme from 2025 to 2030.

It strengthens a partnership first formalised in 2017 and builds on years of collaboration across the Lau Group.

The agreement places vanua-centred leadership at the heart of conservation, ensuring that decisions affecting Lau’s land and ocean remain guided by chiefs, elders and communities.

A Bose Vanua o Lau representative said the agreement reaffirmed the responsibility of Lauan people as custodians of their environment.

“Our ocean and land are part of who we are. This agreement strengthens our role in protecting them for our children and future generations,” the representative said.

The Lau Seascape Initiative has long been shaped by the deep relationship between Lauan communities and their environment. For generations, the ocean has provided food, livelihoods and cultural identity.

The new MOA formalises this traditional stewardship while strengthening collaboration with conservation partners to address modern challenges such as climate change, declining marine resources and environmental degradation.

Conservation International said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to blend science with customary governance.

“This agreement recognises that conservation works best when it is led by communities and grounded in culture,” a CI official said.

Under the renewed partnership, efforts will focus on strengthening marine protection, promoting sustainable fisheries management, improving climate resilience and supporting livelihoods across Lau.

The agreement also positions Lau as a national and regional example of community-led conservation, showing how traditional authority and modern conservation approaches can work together.

The signing of the MOA marks a turning point for the Lau Seascape Programme, shifting the focus from individual projects to long-term, locally driven impact.

As climate pressures intensify across Fiji, the strengthened Lau Seascape partnership sends a clear message, protecting biodiversity also means protecting identity, food security and the future of island communities.