Rt€@lll

-97
populations which had taken rnillenia Lo develop. Salient features of this developrrnnt include
the introduction of money economies, Lhe imposition of new laws and practices by colonial
powers' and the breakdown of traditional authority (Johannes, 1978). All these had important
implications for the utilizaLion of natural resources. A significant corollary of the changes
wrought in Pacific island settings particularly at the turn of the century was Lhe phenomenal
rise in human population, the trend of which continues up to the present day. This in turn has
ted to new and increasing demands on island resources such as coral neefs. The resultant
degradation and depletion of these resources has proven inevilable in many cases, and
currently is a widespread and urgent problem Lo be tackled.
The advent of caah economiee
The introduction of money economies by foreigners into Pacific island subsistence
soeieties implied the qeration of an entirely new set of factors determining the general
course of livelihood of these peoples. Inportant examples are the development of distant
markets and the growth of the profit motive (Johennes, f978). The latler factor is especially
significant because it meant the effective annihilation of the conservation ethic (see
discussion in Johannes, L977; 1978), so that considerable waste of reef resources became
widespread. In sddition, conflicts over reeource ase arose belween zubsistence fishermen and
those promoting rew commercial fisheries (Gawel, l98f).
In general, the drive for increased cash income meant the decline of zubsistence
activities (Finney, 1965), with the latter being supplanted by cash-crop produetion on
full-time wage labor. Among other things, this meant the decrease in availability of products
traditionally gathered from the reef, and the increasing reliance m imported commodi[ies.
Losr of traditional menagament and.conservation systems
Mention was made earlier of the conservation ethic in zubsistence societies. Evidence
indicates that this has been a guiding principb in ihe utilization of reef nesources by nnst
island communities. The current breakdown of traditional conservation practices is attributed
to the advent of European and Oriental contact (Jotrannes, I97B; Owen, L969). This has been
accompanied in many areas by a decrease or disappearance of unprotected reef stocks
(Gawel, l98l; Jotrannes, 1978). There are indications that Western approaches to resource
management are not applicable in the Lropical Pacific (Gawel, lg8l), so that the accumulated
wisdom of tradition may prove irreplaceable. Examples of tradilional management practices
are given in Table ].
Not mentioned in Table I is the practice of reef and lagoon tenurc (Jotrennes, 1977;
f978). The latter in effect is a system wherein the right to fish in a particular area is
allotted to a clan, ctrief or family. Regulation of exploitation to achieve srstainable yields
was thus pursued as a matter of course because it was perceived to be in the best interest of
the controlling party. This practice prevents the tragedy of the commons now prevalent in
nndern societies.
Traditional management practices were either related to some religious or ruperstitious
belief ar or were clearly intended to conserve resources. A number were developed to
minimize waste associated . with periodic and predictable gluts, sJch as during spawning
seaaons. It ppears that dmost every basic fisheries corrservation rrpasure devised in the
West wee in use in the tropical Pacific for crnturies (Jotrannes, l97B).
Problams of incrcatcd human peulation
A rumber of Pacific islands remain uninhabited, but in those that are inhabited, the
growth of populationg and their economies is a pervasive phenomenon (Eltiott, l97t). Average
anlual rates of popu-lation growth for Oceania have been docurrented as follows (UN, lg$l 'in
Holdgate et glr 1982):
1960-L965 2.08%
1970-L975 1.85%
1975-1980 L.47%
Percentage change in nate of growth from 1960-65 to I975-8Ot -D.l.eti