Four officers from the Coastal Fisheries Division, from the Research and Monitoring Unit, recently returned from North Tarawa following a marine resource mapping trip from 27 September to 4 October 2026.

The team worked with Fisheries Extension staff and fishers from each village, who identified important marine resource sites using their local knowledge. The team then visited these sites to confirm and mark their locations, including fishing grounds, spawning grounds, seagrass areas, and sites where giant clams, peanut worms, asaphis and other invertebrates are found.

The information collected will support the development of a resource map to guide the Coastal Fisheries ongoing programmes promoting the sustainable use of coastal marine resources.

We sincerely thank the Island Mayor, Island Clerk and Island Development Officer (IDO) for their support and warm welcome to North Tarawa.

We also thank the Fisheries Extension staff and fishers from each village for their assistance and valuable local knowledge, which contributed to the success of this resource mapping trip.

The team also acknowledges and sincerely appreciates the financial support provided by the RFAO/GEF-Resilient Islands Resilient Communities Project, which contributed to the successful completion of this important task.