Christopher Pala
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Kiribati Parliament Votes to Fund Phoenix Islands Reserve Trust Fund, Reversing President Tong's decision not to do so

9/6/2013

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The parliament of Kiribati has just approved the transfer  of $2.5 million into the Trust Fund of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area,  allowing the reserve to continue functioning after a current Global Environment
  Fund runs out. This puts pressure on Conservation International to also fulfill its long-standing pledge to provide an equal amount. The government’s move is a significant turnaround. President Tong had told me in May that he had no intention of disbursing the money, despite commitments made years ago and a windfall income last year from tuna fishing licenses, and that he was seeking to “source it.” I am told that the measure was the result of the stories I’ve published on the marine reserve. Given the amount of fishing going on inside it, increasing the no-take zone from 3% to 100% would be by far the biggest act of marine conservation in history. But, a friend writes from Tarawa, “It is quite apparent that the Government has no real desire to close off the PIPA in the foreseeable future.”

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