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GVI Fiji Caqalai Island News

Issue 1, December 2014

Spring 2016, Issue 4

Inside this Issue

ABOUT GVI FIJI

About GVI Fiji


Caqalai Marine Research Base
Marine Resource Inventories
The Great Fiji Shark Count
Dives Against Debris
Community Links
Schools Outreach
GVI National Scholarship
Programme
Turtle Nesting Season

CAQALAI ISLAND MARINE RESEARCH & CLIMATE


CHANGE ADAPTATION HUB


Global Vision International (GVI) was
formed in 1997 to provide support
and services to international charities,
non-profits
and
governmental
agencies. Through our international
network in over 25 countries GVI
supports many of the most critical
conservation
and
humanitarian
projects.
GVI Fiji has been in operation for 3
years and has successfully supported
local communities in marine resource
management, rainwater harvesting,
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
(WASH)
initiatives,
waste
management, education enrichment
and livelihood generation projects.

The new base on Caqalai Island,


Lomaiviti was officially opened on
October 4th 2014.
We will focus on 3 main areas
Marine Research
Community Outreach
Climate Adaptation & Alternative
Livelihood Practice

Our vision is to establish a model of


best environmental practice in
aspects such as waste management,
renewable
energy,
rainwater
harvesting, compost toilets and
organic vegetable growing.
Caqalai Island will be the hub for
marine research in the Central
Division.
It will also be an
education
outreach
facility
supporting Moturiki communities
and primary schools.

GVI FIJI

ISSUE 1 December 2014


MARINE RESOURCE INVENTORIES

All volunteers receive dive training on Caqalai Base to a


minimum of PADI Advanced Open Water, some to
Dive Master level. In addition they are trained in survey
techniques and depending on their length of stay they
learn coral, invertebrate and fish identification.
Since setting up base over 30 baseline surveys have been
completed of the reefs surrounding Caqalai Island.
Surveys are undertaken at regular intervals at two
depths and record benthic cover such as coral,
invertebrates such as beche-de-mer, target fish species
and physical conditions.
Data will be used to create GIS maps and to monitor the
health of the reefs over time. We will also survey local
tabu (no take) and qoliqoli (fishing) areas and provide
the data to communities to help inform marine resource
management.
Other marine projects to be explored include coral
regeneration and seaweed farming.

GVI Fiji are partnered with FLMMA

THE GREAT FIJI SHARK COUNT

In April and November each year GVI Fiji take part in


The Great Fiji Shark Count. This citizen science
project utilises data collected on sightings of sharks,
rays and turtles to further conservation efforts.
This November diving around Caqalai we recorded a
total of 11 white tip sharks, 6 black tip sharks and 6
grey reef sharks, 10 blue spotted stingrays, 3 spotted
eagle rays, 1 Green turtle and 16 Hawksbill turtles.
Over time with concerted conservation efforts we hope
to see these numbers increase.

DIVES AGAINST DEBRIS


Regular beach cleans and underwater cleanups are
carried out by GVI volunteers to protect our reefs
from the harmful effects of marine debris. All data is
recorded for monitoring purposes and is submitted to
Project Aware for their global Dive Against Debris
initiative.

Data from GVI Fiji is submitted to Project Aware

GVI FIJI

ISSUE 1 December 2014

COMMUNITY LINKS

GVI staff and volunteers at Uluibau Community Hall

All GVI projects take place in consultation and


agreement with the communities where we work.
Getting to know communities - learning from their
local knowledge and discussing their needs is the
keystone of our work. In the first three months we
have been fortunate to have been welcomed into
Moturiki and have had several fruitful meetings which
are very promising for establishing long term
partnerships and future projects. We would like to
extend gratitude to our local partners for giving their
time to meet with us.
Following presenting Sevu sevus to village elders to
introduce GVI Fiji, explain our aims and ask
permission to enter villages, we gave short
presentations and carried out initial household surveys
in Uluibau and Wawa villages. This will help us to get
to know the communities, understand their needs and
identify possible collaborative projects to propose at a
later date.

SCHOOLS OUTREACH

Volunteer led games at Moturiki District School

Exciting plans for Environmental Education at


Moturiki District School and Uluibau Primary
School are under way. GVI Fiji are partnered with
The Ministry of Youth and Sports and have approval
for limited authority to teach from the Ministry of
Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts.
A 14 week termly plan is being developed that will
include weekly classroom lessons, extra curricular
activities and training for teachers. The programme
will complement the projects carried out by
volunteers on base and in communities under the
guidance of Environmental Education and Marine
Science GVI staff.
In December GVI Fiji volunteers held fun
conservation themed games and activities for
children from each school including board games,
storytelling with puppets and outdoor games.

GVI FIJI

GVI NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP


PROGRAMME

On the 5th December GVI hosted an information booth at Suva


Park for International Volunteer Day. One of the aims was to
find recruits for the GVI National Scholarship Programme. It is
free to any Fijian aged 18 years or over with a
background/interest in marine conservation and enables
individuals to gain valuable practical experience in marine
research monitoring techniques. Chosen candidates will join a
team of international staff and volunteers on our marine
expedition and participate in the day to day running of the base
while learning about conservation here in Fiji.
GVI runs NSP programmes in over 20 countries worldwide to
enable and fund local nationals to participate in our programmes
and receive all relevant training. When receiving applications
for NSP we are looking for candidates who can demonstrate a
real interest in the relevant training opportunities of the
programme and those that can explain how this opportunity will
enrich their current interests and future pursuits. As an
organization we hope to be able to use our resources to enrich
local capacities and provide unique opportunities for local
youths.
GVI Fiji scholarships include:

4 weeks on project site (minimum)

Food and shared accommodation while on project base

PADI Advanced Open Water training and certification


(marine only)

PADI Coral Reef Research Diver Speciality Certification

Species identification and survey methodology training

Emergency First Responder Training

Personal Mentor

ISSUE 1 December 2014

SAFETY FIRST!

Health and Safety considerations underpin the work that


GVI carry out. We operate under comprehensive Risk
Assessments and Emergency Action Plans for time spent
on base, in the field and for scuba diving. In recognition of
these high standards GVI proudly received The 2014
Members Choice for safe diving practices from The Divers
Alert Network (DAN).

TURTLE NESTING SEASON


On the 22nd and 23rd December GVI Fijis Marine
Research Officer and Environmental Education
Officer attended training for trainers for a new
project Genetic Characterization of Sea Turtles
Nesting in Fiji. This is a USP project in partnership
with Fiji Fisheries Department, LieRotuma
Initiative and in collaboration with Dau ni Vonu,
GVI and WWF.
We hope to cascade this training to Caqalai staff,
volunteers, and local community members so that
data and samples can be collected in our locality and
submitted to the project for analysis.
Please report any sightings of turtles nesting on
beaches in the Caqalai area. We would be very
interested in information on known nesting sites to
target training and research. You can call GVI staff
regarding turtles on 9000504 or 8365790
FOLLOW GVI FIJI

Website - www.gvi.co.uk
Charitable Trust website - www.gvi.org

To apply for GVI Fiji Marine Conservation Scholarship please


send a CV, a statement of interest and a reference to
marinefiji@gviworld.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GVIFijiIslands
Twitter - https://twitter.com/GVIFiji

Thank you for your interest and support.

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