Fijian Tradition Creates 100-Night Marine Protection for Fisheries
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📰 The quick summary: Indigenous Fijian communities establish temporary marine protected areas to honor their deceased, helping fish populations recover while preserving cultural traditions.
📈 One key stat: Between 1960-2019, communities established 188 funerary protected areas in Fiji’s waters, with 44% enforcing 100-night closures and 47% banning all resource extraction.
💬 One key quote: “Funerary protected areas hold much significance for the iTaukei way of life and conservation. It’s a part of our livelihood, culture and sustainable management of resources,” said Seru Moce, a clan leader.
1️⃣ The big picture: Indigenous Fijian communities maintain a powerful tradition of temporarily protecting marine areas following the death of community members, especially chiefs. When someone passes away, the community designates a portion of the sea as tabu (forbidden), preventing fishing and harvesting until after the funerary feast. Though these aquatic funerary protected areas began as cultural practices, they’ve become valuable tools for marine conservation. The protected zones vary in size and can extend from shorelines to outer reefs, typically remaining closed for 100 nights. This practice helps fish populations recover while maintaining cultural traditions.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Marine ecosystems gain valuable recovery time through these temporary closures, allowing fish populations to rebound. The success of these protected areas has inspired some communities to extend marine protections beyond the traditional mourning period. Local people have witnessed firsthand how these closures benefit their fisheries, leading to more sustainable resource management. The practice demonstrates how traditional ecological knowledge and cultural customs can effectively support modern conservation goals.
3️⃣ What’s next: Conservation organizations like the Wildlife Conservation Society are working to incorporate these funerary protected areas into broader ecosystem management plans. Communities are pushing for stronger legal protections and formal recognition of their traditional management rights over nearshore waters. Efforts are also needed to preserve and document these practices as some communities struggle to maintain the tradition due to financial constraints and declining traditional knowledge.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – Even in death, Indigenous Fijians protect the sea
