The word ‘sustainability’ gets thrown around a lot these days, but what does it really mean? Sometimes we can learn a lot from the little guys, like Niue - an island nation that knows a thing or two about what it means to be 'sustainable'.

Protecting its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), limiting the number of tourists, and protecting the resources that the ocean provides - now and into the future - is how Niue defines and models sustainable action. Big steps have been taken to maintain this soft adventure destination that is utopia for the ocean enthusiast; keeping it the way things used to be.

Nature’s wonderland

The economy of Niue is firmly centred around the ocean. From an important food source for locals to tourism-generated income, the country needed sustainable actions to protect the ocean for future generations and its small population of 1700 people. 

Located halfway between Fiji and the Cook Islands, Niue is one of the largest raised coral atolls in the world and boasts over 100 coral species. It is the world’s first ‘Dark Sky Nation’ and was awarded recognition as being in the top 100 global sustainable tourism destinations by Green Destinations. Despite being one of the smallest self-governing nations, its entire marine real estate is 321,018km2 and contains pristine coral reefs and undersea mountains that host a diverse array of marine life.

Niue's pristine coral reefs make for incredible diving and snorkelling. Photo courtesy of National Geographic / Nova West.

Niue’s ocean is a dazzling mix of biodiversity, with more than 300 fish species, sea turtles, dolphins, humpback and beaked whales (it is an annual birthing and breeding ground for the humpback), and the world’s highest density of grey reef sharks. The ocean is home to more than 70 critically endangered, vulnerable, and endemic species; katuali (Laticauda Schistorhynchus), a vulnerable venomous sea snake, can only be found in Niue.

The entire island is constructed purely from limestone, which creates a myriad of caves, caverns, and chasms to witness and explore both above and below the water. With no rivers, streams or runoff from the island, Niue's water visibility is renowned as some of the clearest in the Pacific Ocean at up to 80 metres.

Niue is a birthing and breeding ground for humpback whales.

The Niue Nukutuluea Marine Park

For over 1,000 years, the Niuean people have nurtured and protected their ocean, and the country recently became one of the first to commit to protecting 100% of waters in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as a Multiple-Use Marine Park. The Niue Nukutuluea Marine Park covers a huge 317,018 square kilometres and breaks into five tightly managed marine resource use zones where 40% is fully protected as a no-take area. This is now one of the world’s largest mixed-use marine protected areas.

These efforts are a culmination of many years of scientific assessment, community consultation, and cost-benefit analysis. The project is managed by Niue's first public-private partnership between the Government of Niue and Tofia Niue, a local not-for-profit organisation called Niue Ocean Wide Trust (NOW).

The Niue Nukutuluea Marine Park covers a huge 317,018 square kilometres, 40% of which is a no-take area.

The core objectives of NOW are: establish a Marine Spacial Management Plan (MSMP); integrate compliance into conservation and production practices; and support ocean conservation and other social, economic and cultural elements through sustainable financing.

Funding for the organisation and its initiatives is through a sponsorship system called Ocean Conservation Commitments (OCCs), an innovative financing mechanism where anyone can sponsor one square kilometre of Niue’s ocean waters for 20 years for a NZ$250 donation. This simple idea won the ‘Nature’ category of the Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards. With a target of NZ $32 million, the OCC’s funds are managed by NOW and used to support a range of ocean-based conservation, resilience, and sustainable development efforts that reinforce durable ocean conservation.

Ocean Conservation Commitments (OCCs) are an innovative financing mechanism where anyone can sponsor a kilometre of Niue’s ocean waters.

Some examples of the projects to be supported now or in the future include supporting the traditional vaka (canoe) fishermen, builders and racers, educating Niueans about the ocean, dive training, replanting of coral, removal of invasive species on the reef, and monitoring and recording of fish stocks and biodiversity as well as monitoring for illegal fishing in the region.

National Geographic has followed this project closely and has been documenting the growth in fish life and biodiversity. It has produced a documentary called “Protecting Paradise”, currently screening on Disney+ globally, which captures the positive changes being observed since creating the protection areas.

Honouring tradition

Traditional vaka fishermen of Niue know and understand the importance of sustainable fishing and only catching enough to feed and sustain the family. The vaka vessels themselves are testimonies to traditional fishing practices that took place before modern fishing techniques were introduced. They are predominantly constructed from trees located in Niue’s forests, honouring the unique connection between land and sea.

Vaka fishing is a time-honoured way of fishing sustainably in Niue.

The vaka fishermen hold firmly to the cultural beliefs of yesteryear and continue to fish without the use of fossil fuels, anchors, or any fishing equipment that could result in bulk catches and all things that may be detrimental to the seabed and the marine environment.

Balancing economic growth with sustainability

Daughters of the Deep is an organisation providing support to young women in Niue who express an interest in marine conservation. The initiative trains and equips them with the expertise needed to gain employment in the whale research and observation industry on the island through their partners at Niue Blue (the only dive operator in Niue). Students learn about current research and conservation efforts in the region as well as the cultural importance of cetaceans within their indigenous community, with the long-term goal of harnessing the skills required to be a tour guide on the island and gain employment upon completion. 

Daughters of the Deep in training.

Niue's focus is on striking a fundamental balance between economic prosperity and environmental sustainability through promoting low-impact tourism over commercial and industrial fishing, and this is where ocean-based experiences on offer (which Niue has a lot of) blend with sustainable practices.

As an example, fishing from tourism provides much more money for Niue per kilogram of fish caught than any commercial fishing could. Most of the fish you will eat from the island’s restaurants has been line caught locally from one of the charter operators, or even the local vaka. Chances are high that your lunch came out of the ocean that morning and was caught just a few hundred metres off the land, as the depths needed for pelagic species are extremely easy to access due to Niue being a large coral atoll (it drops around a metre every metre). While commercial fisheries pay license fees, visitors spend money on the fishing charter, accommodation, travel, dining out and retail purchases over the course of their time in Niue.

Coral and wildlife restoration

Niue Blue, the local dive operator, offers amazing underwater experiences as well as low-impact and strictly regulated whale and dolphin interactions, but they also have a collection programme removing drupella snails from Niue’s coral reef. These snails devastate the coral, which in turn upsets the ecosystem. The eradication programme has removed more than 55,000 of these pests and the overall health of the reef is improving as a result. Once counted, the snails are then either given to village elders to consume or to local craftspeople who make pendants out of the shells - so nothing is wasted. Another major focus for them is the restoration of coral and planting of coral nurseries following cyclone damage or the impact of other environmental pressures, and experienced divers visiting Niue are often welcome to assist.

Amazing underwater diving experiences are on offer.

A few years ago, the export of uga (coconut crab) was banned. This has seen the population of these giant crabs thrive, and Niue is now one of the few places left in the world where you can legally hunt and eat this delicacy now the natural balance is back in order. The uga are in the forest areas close to the shore, and local guides will take you (often at night) to find these giants attached to coconut baits tied to coral rocks.

Always close to the villages scattered around the island are bush plantations where self-sufficiency is still practised. Many locals will welcome visitors onto their plantations where they can experience a wide variety of organic produce. Massive cave systems and various walks are found all over the island to explore with ease via well-signposted tracks. Take your mask and snorkel, as there are crystal-clear rock pools to swim in at the end of most of these tracks.

Always have a snorkel and mask ready for exploring hidden rock pools.

So, if you are looking for a soft adventure destination where ocean conservation is at the heart of your experience, then jump on a short three-and-a-half-hour flight from Auckland to Niue. You can help support their efforts and maybe even sponsor some ocean while enjoying an adventure like nowhere else on the planet. The way life used to be, the way life should be.

What can we learn and follow from the little guys when it comes to taking meaningful action? Quite a lot, it seems!

For more information, visit these websites:

www.niueisland.com

www.niueoceanwide.com

- By Hayden Porter