Protected areas of Tuvalu consist of protected areas located within the central Pacific country of Tuvalu and its territorial waters. One such area is the Funafuti Conservation Area, which is a marine protected area on the western reef area of Funafuti atoll.
As of April 2024, four Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and four Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) have been established on the outer islands. Tuvalu has not nominated any wetlands under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (known as the Ramsar Convention). The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Tuvalu, consists of 749,790 km2 (289,500 sq mi) of sea. No parts of the land or EEZ of Tuvalu has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. As of May 2021, there are no Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM) in Tuvalu that are registered on the World Database on OECM.[1]
See also: Coral reefs of Tuvalu |
In addition to the Funafuti Conservation Area, which is located on Funafuti, four Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and four Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) have been established on the outer islands of Tuvalu.[2] The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) identifies the following MPAs and LMMAs in Tuvalu:[3]
Main article: Funafuti Conservation Area |
See also: List of mammals of Tuvalu, List of birds of Tuvalu, and List of butterflies of Tuvalu |
The rising population on Funafuti resulted in an increased demand on fish stocks in Funafuti lagoon (Te Namo). In 1996, the Funafuti Conservation Area was established along the western rim of the reef of Funafuti atoll, which included six motu (islets).[8] The Government of Tuvalu created the Kogatapu in the Kaupule o Funafuti Conservation Area Order made under Section 3 of the Conservation Area Act, which order took effect on 1 December 1999.[9]
The Funafuti Conservation Area has an area of 33 km2 (12.74 square miles), and includes 20 per cent of the reef area of Funafuti atoll.[10] The land area of the six islets in the conservation area is 8 ha (20 acres). The islets are nesting sites for the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Fualopa islet hosts a breeding colony of black noddy (Anous minutes).
The marine environment of the conservation area includes reef, lagoon, channel and ocean; and are home to many species of fish, corals, algae and invertebrates.[11] Surveys were carried out in May 2010 of the reef habitats of Nanumea, Nukulaelae and Funafuti (including the Funafuti Conservation Area) identified the total number of 607 fish species in the reef environment of these atolls.[7][6]
A 2007 survey established that fish populations had increased as a result of the Funafuti Conservation Area. Large-sized individual fishes of the highly prized target food species, such as grouper and snapper were observed; the presence of so many large fish of desirable target food species indicates that there is very low fishing pressure in the Funafuti Conservation Area,[12] although enforcement by conservation rangers of the no-fishing rules is necessary to preserve the fish stock.[13][8]