Top cover image: © Peter Guttman, SPC
Overview of CBFM
CBFM site-based coverage
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| 111 | Coastal communities in total | |||
| 64 | Coastal communities covered by CBFM | |||
| 59 | CBFM sites active* | |||
| Community unit: villages. |
Special management areas (SMA)
In Tonga, special management area (SMA) program is the approach taken for community-based fisheries management. These SMAs are designated by the Ministry of Fisheries to be managed by coastal communities. These coastal communities take a leading role in managing their coastal fisheries resources with support from the Ministry of Fisheries and a coastal community management committee. Communities can set their own management rules only if they have been designated as a SMA. Since the Fisheries Management Act in 2002, the SMA program has expanded rapidly.
Image: © Céline Muron, SPC
The Fisheries Management Act 2002 regulates coastal fisheries and provides for the declaration of Special Management Areas. The Fisheries (Coastal Communities) Regulations 2009 set out the boundaries of the Special Management Area and establish a committee for the coastal community which helps to draft and enforce the coastal community management plan.
For further detailed information, visit the legal profile page for Tonga on Reeflex.
The Tonga Fisheries Sector Plan 2016 – 2024 and the Tonga National Fisheries Policy 2018 guide fisheries management in Tonga, with the latter covering Special Management Area Reforms.
- Civil Society Forum of Tonga
- MORDI Tonga
- Tonga Health Promotion Foundation
- Vava'u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA)
- Tonga Community Development Trust
- ...
Main contact(s)
Related resource(s)
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Associated website(s)
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References
- Gillett R. and Lightfoot C. 2002. The contribution of fisheries to the economies of Pacific island countries: a report prepared for the Asian Development Bank, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the World Bank. Manila: ADB (Pacific studies series). 218 p. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/28819/contribution-fisheries.pdf
- Gillett R.E., Fong M. 2023. Fisheries in the economies of Pacific Island countries and territories (Benefish Study 4). Noumea, New Caledonia: Pacific Community. 704 p. https://www.spc.int/digitallibrary/get/ppizh
- O’Connor S., D'Andrea A., Recio-Blanco X. and Devez S. 2023. Legal guide to enabling and strengthening coastal fisheries co-management in the Pacific. Noumea, New Caledonia: Pacific Community. 212 p. https://www.spc.int/digitallibrary/get/s5b7j
- Pacific Data Hub. 2022. Population Statistics Map, Tonga 2022. Population Dashboard, SPC. Available at: https://pacificdata.org/population-dashboard
- Pacific Law and Policy Database on Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture (Reeflex) - https://www.spc.int/CoastalFisheries/Legislation/main
- Smallhorn-West et al. 2020. Community Managed Special Management Areas (SMA) in Tonga: brochure. https://www.tongafish.gov.to/images/documents/Publications/Brochures/SMA%20brochure-tonga-En.pdf
- Smallhorn-West P., Sheehan J., Rodriguez-Troncoso A., Malimali S., Halafihi T., Mailau S., Le’ota A., Ceccarelli D., Stone K., Pressey B. and Jones G., 2020. Kingdom of Tonga Special Management Area report 2020.
CBFM site-based coverage references
- Govan H. and Lalavanua W. 2022. Status of Community-based Fisheries Management in Pacific Islands Countries and Territories: survey report. Noumea, New Caledonia: Pacific Community. 70 p. https://www.spc.int/digitallibrary/get/H_uNgzxUo7kB36r