CT Atlas

Local management of resources has a long tradition in Papua New Guinea. Coastal communities are heavily dependent on the near shore marine environment for a variety of foods and land/sea tenure is under traditional ownership. As such the primary method for conservation in Papua New Guinea is through Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs). While the LMMAs of Papua New Guinea are relatively small, they are effective in maintaining benefits for local communities.

To date the majority of LMMAs have been established around the edge of the Bismarck Sea. Kimbe Bay, on the north coast of New Britain was the site of a pioneering approach to using science to design a network of LMMAs. It's been five years since the design was completed and there are now nine LMMAs in the Bay. LMMAs have also been set up around the coasts of Manus Province. Recent scientific studies in Kimbe Bay have shown that many of the larvae produced by the fishes inside LMMAs disperse a few hundred meters from their parents, indicating that protective efforts inside LMMAs will benefit local people by sustaining fish stocks in the local area. As a result, LMMAs can provide a direct benefit to the local communities managing the area.