Marine environment survey: proposed Aleipata Islands National Park, Western Samoa

Andrews, G; Holthus, P

The Aleipata area survey includes the south-eastern coast of Upolu Island, Western Samoa. The survey consisted of general descriptive ecology and morphology for the Aleipata coastal fringing reef and the fringing reefs of the two detached islands. Nu`utele and Nu`ulua. The area behind the coastal fringing reef to the shoreline was a shallow (<4 m deep) area of sand, rubble, seagrass beds and mixed coral assemblages. A shallow reef platform and algal ridge characterized the reef edge. The reef slop was generally low in hard coral cover except for a few areas. Extensive areas of dead, standing coral colonies covered with algae indicate the effects of Crown-of-Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) outbreaks in the past decades. The reefs around Nu`utele and Nu`ulua and the south-facing coastal reef were consistently higher in coral cover and diversity. The fish populations appeared to be large and diverse and dominated by the herbivores and corallivores. The Aleipata area reefs supply the local population with much of their food resources, and a survey of resource use and techniques was conducted. Interviews with village fishermen indicate that a variety of fish and invertebrate foods resource are harvested from the reefs. Numerous techniques are employed and most fisheries are pursued throughout the year, with the harvest mainly for local consumption. Some information on fishing rights, destructive fishing practices and local oceanography conditions was also gathered. The survey revealed that the Aleipata marine environment supports typical coral reef habitats and associated plant and animal communities, and does not contain particularly unique of spectacular organisms, communities or morphologic features. However, the Aleipata area marine resources are important to the local villages. The villages' use of these resources and traditional community-based resource management practices must be taken into consideration if national park development proceeds.