The Nguna-Pele MPA , winner of the 2008 UNDP Equator Prize, is a local, indigenous, non-governmental organization made up of sixteen communities on two islands dedicated to the sustainable use and long-term existence of marine and terrestrial resources. It is the very first of its kind in Vanuatu and currently serves as a model for other island-initiated conservation efforts nationally and throughout the South Pacific. We strive to ensure that our people retain access and use of the diversity of marine species of Vanuatu through proactive conservation, resilient management, and locally-appropriate awareness.

MPA's and Taboos

The chiefs and people of the member communities have each set aside an area of village-owned reef or forest to be considered ‘tabu' or permanently off-limits to serve as a ‘resource factory'. Member communities have elected one or two volunteer MPA representatives to conduct reef surveys, tag sea turtles, plant coral and run ongoing environmental awareness. A Management Committee representative of every community meets monthly to make decisions guiding the current and future management of the MPA network. Nguna and Pele's managed reefs, sea grass beds, mangrove forests and intertidal lagoons now exceed 3,000 hectares. Our network relies financially on donations from visitors.