Wailevu Women Part Of iQoliqoli Workshop Talks

Women were among iqoliqoli owners from Tikina Wailevu in the province of Macuata who were fortunate to be consulted recently by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

It is the first time for women to join their male counterparts in such a WWF-organised workshop.

There were 30 representatives, from eight villages from Tikina Wailevu, of which 13 were women.

“Women are to be included in activities such as this because they are also users of resources,” WWF North field officer Opeti Vateitei said.

He explained that the workshop was part of the United Nations Development Project (UNDP)-funded Ridge to Reef Project. This is where the WWF and other partners are collaborating with the Ministry of Environment in its implementation.

“The purpose of the activity was to obtain traditional iqoliqoli knowledge and arising challenges from custodian and demarcate priority areas within the iqoliqoli,” Mr Vateitei said.

“This information will then be compiled with information gathered from qoliqoli biological surveys and assist in developing sustainable fisheries management plan for the iqoliqoli.”

“The workshop is a step towards having their iQoliqoli Fisheries Management Plan which will allow for better management of their fisheries resources.” According to the district representative Semi Radradra a committee was formed in 2018 to address issues that directly affected their iqoliqoli.

“We have the largest area of iqoliqoli and it’s only right that we maintain and conserve our resources for our future generation,” Mr Radradra said.

“This committee wishes to put together some policies to safeguard our marine resources and to control the renewal of fishing licence in our iqoliqoli.”

Edited by Percy Kean

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