Reviving reefs, revitalizing livelihoods in East Sepik

In the face of climate change and human activity that has severely damaged coral reefs across the Pacific, communities in East Sepik are taking charge of reef restoration through locally led solutions.

Thirty-four participants representing all twelve Wewak Islands in East Sepik gathered at Village Inn for the Wewak Island Reef Rehabilitation Workshop.

It's an initiative by Young Pacific Leaders and sponsored by the US State Department, and Dr Dean Woruba the co-Sponsor designed to equip islanders with practical skills for conserving and restoring their marine ecosystems.

The workshop is a follow up to a successful pilot project on Tarawai Island, where Young Pacific Leaders Alumni Team Leader Gus Karu and his team together with the Community planted coral reef nurseries and witnessed significant improvements in reef health and fish populations.

Karu said, "the impact on Tarawai Island inspired the team to scale the program to other island communities across the district.

"Participants were trained in managing locally managed marine areas, reef data collection, and building basic coral reef nurseries that can help regenerate marine life and sustain fishing livelihoods".

Director for Environment and Conservation in East Sepik, Brandley Failou, praised the initiative, saying that the province has vast but underutilized natural resources and needs grassroots partnerships to manage and protect them.

He emphasized that while there are challenges faced by his office, strategies are in place to support sustainable conservation efforts like this one.

Community representative Metly Jau from Wei Island said the workshop was good, noting they gained new insights into how coral reefs grow and the importance of preserving them for future generations.