ABSTRACT:

Coral reefs provide food and livelihoods for millions of people.  The wellbeing of reef-reliant populations is however under significant and increasing threat from impacts on reefs, such as overfishing and habitat degradation.  The failures of centralised management institutions to secure food and livelihood benefits for coastal populations have led to increased emphasis onto community involvement in localised marine resource management.  However, the potential of such localised efforts to secure fisheries contributions to nutrition and livelihoods is uncertain, particularly given burgeoning populations.  The predominantly coastal population of Solomon Islands depends on reef fisheries as the primary source of protein and in many areas, small scale commercial fisheries offer one of the few viable livelihood opportunities.  Locally managed marine areas (LMMAs), resulting from collaborative initiatives involving coastal communities, government and NGOs, are the primary means of managing small scale fisheries exploitation in Solomon Islands.  This project will address the overarching question; are locally managed marine areas contributing to the food security of Solomon Islands? The research has four key objectives: (1) To determine whether LMMA rules mediate fisher behaviour to reduce the vulnerability of fisheries resources to decline and the vulnerability of households to future food insecurity; (2) To determine if taboo areas are an effective fisheries management institution with potential to contribute to food security; (3) To determine whether taboo areas are an institution robust to increasing demand for fish; (4) To determine whether knowledge transfer, between management support agencies and communities, influences uptake of fisheries management and national level up-scaling of marine resource management via LMMAs.