Useful Info Archives - Marine Ecology Consulting

Fiji Ministry of Environment – EIA consultant registration requirements

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.

All applicants must have either a degree with a minimum of 7 years of working experience in their selected field of expertise, or a Master’s Degree with a minimum of 5 years working experience, and have contributed to at least 3 approved EIA reports.

They must be highly competent in their selected field, (with supplied evidence) and be able to perform detailed assessments, which may include modelling.

Helen Sykes is registered to conduct studies in the four specialist areas of:

Marine Flora and Fauna
Coral
Marine Protected Areas
Sustainable Tourism Uses of the Reef

All EIA consultants are required to sign and abide by a code of conduct which states that all registered individuals shall:

Act professionally, accurately and in an unbiased manner;
Strive to increase the competence and prestige of the environmental impact assessment profession;
Assist those under my supervision (if relevant) in developing their management, professional and environmental impact assessment skills;
Not to undertake any job that I am not competent to perform;
Not to represent conflicting or competing interests and to disclose to any client or employer any relationship that may influence my judgement;
Not to accept any inducement, commission, gift or any other benefit from any interested party or knowingly allow colleagues to do so;
Not to intentionally communicate false or misleading information that may compromise the integrity of any EIA study; and
Not to act in any way that would prejudice the reputation of the EIA Consultants Registration Scheme or the environmental consultants registration process and to cooperate fully with any inquiry in the event of any illegal breach of this code.

Fiji Ministry of Environment EIA consultant registration - Helen Sykes

Fisheries of the Pacific Islands – Regional and national information

This document Fisheries of the Pacific Islands: Regional and national information provides a recent update of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Pacific Region. The document consists of 2 main parts: a regional overview; and fisheries and aquaculture country profiles for the 14 independent Pacific Island countries. It consolidates a variety of sources of information into a single coherent review, to provide a general understanding of the status of fisheries and aquaculture in the Pacific Islands.

The Pacific Island region consists of fourteen independent countries and eight territories located in the western and central Pacific Ocean. In this area there are about 200 high islands and some 2 500 low islands and atolls.

Contribution of Marine Conservation Agreements to Biodiversity Protection, Fisheries Management and Sustainable Financing in Fiji

Helen Sykes, Marita Manley and Sangeeta Mangubhai have just finished the report on the “Contribution of Marine Conservation Agreements to Biodiversity Protection, Fisheries Management and Sustainable Financing in Fiji.”

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for Fiji 2017–2024

The Fiji National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2017–2024 (NBSAP) is a national policy document recognised under the Fiji Environment Management Act 2005.

The NBSAP is also a requirement for all parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and its 2020 Aichi Targets.

Fiji Fishery Resource Profiles

Our friend, Bob Gillett’s new book on Fiji’s fishery resources is being released this week. The “Fiji Fishery Resource Profiles” is a 240-page publication with 44 chapters, each of which is dedicated to a species group such as tuna, giant clams, lobsters, and parrotfish.

Helen Sykes part of Survey Team in Northern Lau Group – May 2017

Helen Sykes was chosen to be part of the survey team, made up of specialist fish and coral experts, which recently completed a 10 day expedition to the untouched waters and lush limestone islands of the Northern Lau Group.Read More

Don’t eat Fiji’s Future – Fiji fisheries

The Set Size campaign was launched to help reverse the decline of Fiji fisheries by ensuring we stop eating undersize fish.

Let’s make sure our fish get big enough to breed before we catch them and restock our reefs.

Will you pledge only to eat Set Size fish?Read More

Where Can Science Make a Difference to People?

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide depend on coral reef ecosystems[1].

Coral reef ecosystems create natural barriers that protect shorelines from storm surge and erosion—defending villages, businesses, and coastal residents[2].

Coral reef ecosystems also support fisheries that provide food [3], jobs, and income for local communities [4,5] as well as tourism and recreation that contribute to jobs, profits, taxes, and foreign income[3].Read More