About Us
Ocean Lovers
One Touch Of Nature Makes The Whole World Kin
Since 1998 offering coastal and marine baseline assessments
marine ecology consulting is Fiji and the South Pacific’s leading company for Coastal and Marine Ecology Assessments as part of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), as well as offering marine conservation and management advice, educational courses and opportunities, and tourism-based marine programmes.
Our team of ecologists and marine scientists at marine ecology consulting offers a wide range of skills and experience in relation to issues relating to marine ecology and biology.
Our Principal
marine ecology consulting was established in 2006 as the technical wing of the established company Resort Support, in response to an increasing demand for Marine and Coral Reef management, information, education and assessments.
Experience
We have unique experience in producing custom-built tools to give us the edge
Over 30 years of experience and expertise in Marine Management, Sustainable Tourism and community based Marine Conservation
- With Fiji Dept of Environment, establishing outline mangrove management plan for resort developments in Fiji.
- With Fiji Dept of Environment and JICA, established marine monitoring schedule for small resorts
- With Dept of Fisheries, and USP, Qoliqoli Guideline Working Group member, setting guidelines for marine resource assessment and management for Fiji’s communities
- Principal Author “Status of Coral Reefs in the Fiji Islands” reports 2004, 2006 and 2007
- Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network Fiji National Coordinator, 2002 to date
- Reef Check National Co-coordinator, Fiji Islands, 2002 to date
(reef monitoring, and teaching monitoring techniques to local people and volunteer groups.) - Testing and amending MAC monitoring protocol for Fiji Marine Aquarium Trade, 2002 -2005
- The Fiji Integrated Coastal Management Project working group member, setting guidelines for Environmentally Sustainable Development in community-based tourism , 2003
Designer, author and primary instructor for “BlueStar” programme to provide standards for Marine Sustainable Tourism in Fiji. - Principal Assessor of the Marine Environment for EIA studies for two major companies in Fiji (Environmental Consultants and Sinclair Knight Mertz), and in independent assessments, for more than 50 projects since 2003
Designer, author and primary instructor “Marine Tourism Education Course” and “Marine Conservation Education Course” for Fijian snorkel and dive guides and general activities staff, now part of Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji national syllabus - Board member Fiji Ecotourism Association 2001-2003
- Designing and leading student programmes 2003 to date, for a variety of institutions including:
- American University International Programmes
(Texas A&M University, University of Montana, University of Florida, Oregon State University) - Educational Travel and Study Abroad (University of Georgia),
- Institute for Cultural Education
- People to People,
- West Virginia University
- West Valley High School, Fairbanks Alaska
- Fiji Peace Corps
- Vanuatu Peace Corps
- Designer and facilitator of “The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count”, a Fiji–wide event for the International Year of the Coral Reef, 2008, 2009
- Development of, and linkages to, LMMA network
- American University International Programmes
- FLMMA Executive Committee member since formation
- Member of FLMMA Biological Monitoring Working group since formation
- Part of working team drafting community reef monitoring techniques 2002
- Project Scientific Advisor to Waitabu Village Community Managed Marine Protected Area, (one of the FLMMA founding projects) 1998 to date
Some Cool Facts
Numbers Speak For Themselves
The Law
Fiji Environment Management Act, 2005
Since 1998 offering coastal and marine baseline assessments
After the passing of Fiji’s Environment Management Act 2005, the demand for EIA-related Marine Resource Assessments grew exponentially, warranting the expansion of that side of the company’s business.
Ever since the Fiji Ministry of Environment started keeping a list of consultants approved to carry out studies for Environmental Impact Assessments in 2008, Helen Sykes of Marine Ecology Consulting has been registered as a “Subject Specialist/ Technical Expert“.
A Technical Expert conducts specific studies and/or assessments based on their specialist field, and contributes those specialist studies to overall EIA reports.
Our Background
Resort Support
Resort Support was formed in the Fiji Islands in 1997, to offer marine biology and tourism consultancy services within the Fiji Islands. The principals, Helen Sykes and Stuart Gow, have backgrounds in Biological Sciences and Civil Engineering, over 20 years experience in marine-related tourism in the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, and are both fully qualified diving instructors with many years of diving experience.
Graduate Marine Scientists
Since that time we have taken on a full-time locally qualified graduate marine scientist, while maintaining our paid intern programme. This programme continues to offer work experience to new graduates in marine and environmental sciences, while enabling us to identify individuals with the special combination of skills required to deliver the most efficient and relevant Marine Resources Assessments available.
Mission Statement
To provide the best and most efficient consulting and assessment services in marine ecology in the South Pacific region.
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