Aitutaki Fishing Venture, Cook Islands, Othenial Tangianau

Bone Fishing - Aitutakit Lagoon 

PLENARY 3: 

Presented by: 

Mr Otheniel Tangianau 

2012 Pacific Local Government Forum

2012 Pacific Local Government Forum 

Aitutaki Island

Context 

• Name of Council: Aitutaki Pa Enua Local Government 

• Date Council Established: 1966 

• Community Statistics: 

• Total land area: 18.1 sq km 

• Total island population: 2035 

• Annual growth rate: 45,000 visitors annually 

• Council Statistics: 

• No. of council members: 16 

• No. of council employees: 64 

• Financial Statistics: 

• Annual Revenue:$1,715,000 

• Operating Expenditure: $562,000 

• Capital Expenditure: $702,000 


Key Challenges 

Local Government’s Key Challenges being addressed; 

• Overfishing; 

• depleting of fish population in the Aitutaki Lagoon due to gillnet 

fishing. 

• Changing local mind‐sets; 

• to look at other available options that can bring additional 

benefits to the community 

• Resources Management areas; 

• setting aside critical lagoon spawning sites as resources 

management areas can contribute to sustainable lagoon 

fisheries 


Background 

• The people of Aitutaki have been using gillnet to catch fish to feed 

their families for many years. 

• No legislation in place to regulate the gill netting especially on the 

sizes of the mesh and net. 

• The catches therefore includes both small and big sized fishes. 

• Observations found depletion of a number of fish species including 

sport fishing species like trevally and bone fish in the islands il lagoon. 

• The Island Government together with the Ministry of Marine 

Resources (MMR) concerned about this practice. 

• Both felt an alternative options should be looked into on Aitutaki to 

reduce catching undersize fishes and allowing these to grow for 

harvesting and other uses (sport fishing) in the future 


Background 

• Sport tfishing has been noted tdas a growing activity it in many 

countries around the world. Sport fishing enthusiasts, who 

seek memorable experiences, travel to far away countries 

just to experience a “buzz”, from catching a certain kind of 

fish. 

• Based on the ‘catch‐and‐release and release’ principle, sport fishing is 

considered an environmentally friendly pursuit and often 

follows a participatory resource management plan. 

• MMR together with the Island Government of Aitutaki, 

Tourism Cook islands as well as local island stakeholders has 

been looking, developing and promoting bonefish fishing on 

Aitutaki as part of increasing sport fishing opportunities in 

the country. 


Background continued 

• Apparently this activity which was scoped and started in 

2009 was also identified in the first Aitutaki Island 

Government Strategic Plan 2000‐2005 

“Facilitate the development of a commercial bonefish 

angular fishery that is directed towards tourism 


Aim/goal & objectives 

• The project concept was basically based on the idea that Air 

Rarotonga flies tourist every day to the island of Aitutaki 

• It felt that the people of Aitutaki could benefit from the 

venture if they diversify from their current gill netting and 

engage in a less destructive catch and release fishing 

venture. 

• The project was to concentrate on the bone fish and 

trevally species, recognised as tough fighters when hooked 

• The idea was, rather than trying to resolve the issue by 

force (ban on net fishing or imports of nets into the island), 

it would seem wiser to provide fishermen with information 

on the damage caused by their techniques, to give them an 

incentive to involve them in the development of the sports 

fishing activity as guides. 

• The reason being some of the fishermen have the best 

knowledge of bonefish habits, which is an essential quality 

for a good fishing guide! 2012 Pacific Local Government Forum

Concept; 

• The interested parties (visitors) are required to apply 

for a permit with the Council/MMR to bonefish in 

Aitutaki 

• This permit authorises the fisher to fish for a day, 

2days, weeks months, years or up to a lifetime 

• Cost ranges from $10/day to $500/lifetime. 

• Minimum age is 12 

• Designated areas are set aside for bonefish 

management purposes especially in Papau, Takitaki and 

Rapota. 

• The ares are also the main spawning areas. It is here 

were bone fishers can fish with a licensed guides. 

• In the management areas net fishing are banned 


Key partners and Resources 

The main partners are; 

• The Aitutaki Local Government; interested in seeing the 

community gaining additional benefits and sustainable 

management of the Lagoon resources, 

• The Ministry of Marine Resources interested in diversifying 

opportunity for fisheries on the island as well as in providing the 

technical advice and support to the projects. 

• Tourism Cook Islands; interest in also increasing and diversifying 

tourism activity in the country; 

• The Fishing community on Aitutaki who are interested in 

benefitting from this ventures through tour guiding as well 

improved fisheries as result of banding netting in key spawning 

areas 

• Island Community; Complying to the requirement of the 

Management plans 


Key Outcomes 

• More awareness on the risks associated with certain fishing 

practices 

• Multiple l benefits could be realized if people are 

willing/open and to look at multiple options and uses of the 

lagoon. 

• Obviously sustainably development of the lagoon resources 

means the resource are available for more definite periods 

• The management plan must not remove the community’s 

right to fish and harvest resources from within the lagoon 

• A more encompassing means for harvesting and conserving 

lagoon resources at the same time 


Aitutaki Atoll 


Bonefish; ..or….Kiokio close up 


Fisher and his catch; a 7lb bonefish 


Aitutaki Lagoon; Trevally another sport fish species 


Fisher and his catch; a; Titiara...or…trevally 


E2…… 

Local Guides Fleet 


Key Success Factors 

Foremost, the realisation i by the community that marine 

resources in the lagoon are being overfished and 

continues to be depleted. 

• The establishment of a management areas as a tool to 

protect the targeted species as well as other fish 

species 

• The diversification from on‐going fishery to sport 

fishery in the lagoon can bring benefits. 

• The successful collaboration between several key 

agencies in coordinating and establishing the project is 

critical. 

• This involves, 

– promoting this concept, 

– Consultation with stakeholders, 

– Training of he various stakeholder, 

– Certifications and others. 


Key Challenges 

The project is just coming around to two years, already 

there are some major challenges. This includes; 

• enforcements issues with community relating lti to 

banning of netting in the designated areas 

• Fee issues, relating to those who can fish and who 

cannot and with other visitors who are not fishers 

• Limited beneficiaries limited to the number of guide; 

• Some community members have shown negativity to 

the concept 

• But attitude changes have been seen noted from the 

same individuals, showing more respects. 


Lessons Learnt 

• Should engage into a longer and thorough hconsultation 

process with stakeholders. 

– Two session held in a space of two weeks is inadequate if we 

are to gain reasonable amount of support. 

• Collaborations between key government agencies was 

important and was well coordinated; a positive 

outcomes for all. 

• The concept of sustainability; catch and release 

concept are being observed by the fishers so far. 

• “Reserve areas” are being used as a management tool 

to restrict activities to sports fishing only 

• Economic benefits spin off; the key aspect to this 

project are slowly being realised but need time to 

assess its impact on the beneficiaries/stakeholders. 


Lesson Learnt Continued 

• A recent Review of Marine Resources (Aitutaki & Manuae 

Bonefish Fishery) Regulations 2010, October 2012, highlighted a 

further issues: 

• Need to increase the number of anglers from 2 to 4 per guides to 

improve returns 

• Fishing permits to apply to all fishing in the lagoon 

• Few infringement have occurred but none have been prosecuted 

• These changes need to be addressed with the hope that it will 

increase compliance. 

• It is also anticipated that if the project increases community 

awareness of its marine resources then these resources should 

be managed effectively if stakeholders play their part. 

• Fishers are now becoming knowledgeable about their resources 

where diverse benefits are gained and shared without the use of 

destructive fishing methods, such gill netting. 


Plans for the future 

• At present the venture is only in its early stages of development 

so this will be looked at and assessed to see it impacts on the 

lagoon, the stakeholders as well as the community. 

• Opportunity to further replicate this initiative in the northern part 

of the Cook Islands, particularly, Penrhyn as well as in Manuae 

could be done. 

• While there are some immediate benefits seen, time will tell 

how this will impact on the community and the rest of the 

stakeholders concerned 


Meitaki Atupaka 

Contact:

Aitutaki Fishing Venture, Cook Islands, Othenial Tangianau

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