University of Fiji given grant to map and monitor Votua and Maui Bay reefs

The US Agency for International Development’s Pacific American Climate Fund has awarded a grant of $404,729 to the University of Fiji to conduct the mapping and monitoring of the reefs surrounding Votua in Ba and Maui Bay in Sigatoka.

This will increase the capacity of the Fijian government and the communities of Votua and Maui Bay to protect their coastal and marine resources for the future.

The University of Fiji will develop maps of land and marine habitat including the processing of large volumes of regional satellite imagery of island territories.

They will also create a robust data processing system to illustrate the human uses and characteristics of global ecosystems, including coral reefs and wetlands.

In addition to this, the University of Fiji will also develop new courses or improve already existing ones on marine biology, natural resource management, biodiversity and conservation, and other related fields.