In the Milne Bay Province, human populations have more than doubled over the last two decades. This has driven reductions in marine biodiversity and placed increasing pressure on coral reefs to provide food and income. Local people are primarily leading subsistence lifestyles with no electricity, no running water and extremely limited access to medical supplies. There is a strong desire amongst community leaders to address these issues.
The objective of this project is to boost the operational capability of the Sea Women of Melanesia (SWoM) organization in Milne Bay Province. This will increase the assistance offered to partner communities and accelerate the creation of Locally Managed Marine Areas which support sustainable fisheries, healthy reefs, and create sustainable ecotourism assets.
The province is well known for its outstanding marine biodiversity, and the SWoM programme started with a single woman in 2016. The region remains an important target for SWoM operations, with active work underway with numerous partner communities through Milne Bay and the Louisiade Archipelago.
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