All aboard the ocean conservation bus!

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MP Milena Parotti
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Posted on Global Climate Change Alliance Plus Initiative - GCCA
Created 27 January 2023

For locals and tourists alike, Samoa’s famous buses are an essential way to travel around the islands. The ancient, crowded and colourful buses - pumping out loud pop music as they make their slow way round the islands -  are as much a part of the Samoan scene as a scuba dive or a fiafia night celebration.

On the island of Savai’i, buses are a lifeline for residents going ab out their daily business. For visitors arriving at the Salelologa ferry terminal, a 12 tala (about €3.00) ride will transport you to remote waterfalls, lava fields and unspoiled beaches.

The buses - many of which are simply trucks with a locally-made wooden passenger compartment added on top - are regarded as one of Samoa’s cultural icons. Despite attempts to phase them out in favour of more modern alternatives, they look set to stay - which is why one of them was given a recent makeover as part of a campaign to raise awareness about the Samoan Ocean Strategy (SOS).

SOS is part of a four year, €1.2 million EU-funded GCCA+ programme to promote the sustainable use of Samoa's marine resources while increasing the climate resilience of local communities. Run in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), IUCN and other local and international NGOs, it uses Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) to support ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) and to achieve the Samoan government’s commitment to protect 30 percent - and sustainably manage 100 percent - of its oceans by 2030.

bus samoa
©Creative Comms licence

“Like other Pacific island nations, we are not a small island developing state; we are a large ocean state,” says Samoa’s Minister of Environment and Tourism Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster. “Our waters are exceptional habitats from sea mounts to coral reefs, mangroves and oceanic basins. They all contribute significantly towards the economy an identity of our Samoan people. If the health of our oceans declines, so does our health.”

The specially-painted SOS bus made its debut as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of oceans among Samoa’s 200,000 residents. In addition, two rounds of consultations were held in 52 political districts covering 117 coastal villages, as well as a radio campaign about the value of fishing reserves and no take zones. Educational materials have been distributed to schools and churches across the islands.

“The ocean unites our islands,” says Danita Strickland, Marine Programme Manager at Conservation International, one of the NGOs involved in SOS. “Samoa lies at the heart of Polynesia. From here, our voyaging canoes have explored an expanse of ocean, which still sustains us today. It is where we play, we work, where we connect and where we find peace. Pacific islanders know the sea is vital to our own health because it has always been a part of who we are.”

Danita - herself a native of Samoa - has witnessed at first hand the impacts of climate change on her country. “By protecting nature, we are helping people adapt and increase resilience. Ensuring healthy mangroves and reefs not only helps us care for our oceans but reduces the impacts of climate change by reducing storm surges.

“SOS focuses on ocean positive solutions so the uses of the ocean are sustainable and can provide employment, support our economy and maintain our fisheries. We all need to get on board and paddle in the same direction to ensure our oceans sustain us.”

“Samoa’s ocean is a 120,000 square kilometre area. Managing this is a big task and we need everyone’s support,” says Frances Reupena, CEO at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. “The SOS is a holistic approach to sustainably manage our domain. It organises our efforts and identifies priority areas that require both our immediate attention and long term investment.”

bus samoa
©Creative Comms licence

Despite bad weather, including high winds and rough seas, local and international researchers from SOS recently completed an eight-day expedition across Samoa's coral reefs. They completed nearly five hundred dives at 36 sites to collect information on the status of Samoa's coral reefs, fish populations and water quality, and to plug data gaps on the coastal and marine environment.

"We found over 250 different species of fish at the survey sites,” says Andrew Estep, Science Director of the Waitt Institute - another of the GCCA+ programme partners. “We also collected three-dimensional imagery of 36 reefs that will allow us get detailed information about the status of corals and allow us to see how they grow and change over time.” The expedition included a film crew who interviewed fisherfolk and other ocean users for a forthcoming documentary.

Back on the crowded SOS bus, passengers sit on each others’ laps - a local custom which can catch visitors by surprise. There are no bus stops - you get on and off where you like - and according to the Samoa Tourist Authority, “It’s not unheard of for buses to stop at supermarkets and wait while passengers do their shopping. Catching one may be a bit tricky if you’re on a schedule because the buses are certainly not always on time.” Plenty of opportunity, then, to reflect on the slogan emblazoned on the side of the bus: “Protect you ocean, Protect your future.”

 

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