Traditional Marine Conservation Methods in Oceania and Their Demise

Abstract

Understanding a conservation system means understanding not only nature of what is being conserved, but also viewpoint of conserver. Knowledge of this second element is essential if we are to comprehend a system of resource management employed by a people whose perception of their environment differs from our own. Watt (83) has said that a prudent civilization should take seriously ideas of other civilizations about resource use. Over short term, he states, the ideas of civilization A might appear vastly superior to those of civilization B. But over long term it could turn out that apparently 'primitive' practices of civilization B were based on millenia of trial and error and incorporated deep wisdom that was unintelligible to civilization A.'' The following is an account of rise and decline of a millenia-old system of controlled exploitation of marine resources that incorporates a wisdom Westerners are only now beginning to appreciate after having brought about its widespread decay. The inhabitants of Oceania [defined here as islands of Polynesia (excluding New Zealand), Melanesia (excluding New Guinea), and Micronesia] traditionally obtained bulk of their protein from sea. They often had no alternative. Population densities commonly reached several hundred people per square mile and sometimes climbed to more than one thousand per square mile. On some islands land (often consisting of calcareous soil with little humus) barely supplied their vegetable needs. Terrestrial food supplies were not only limited, but also precarious. On many islands typhoons, droughts, and tsunamis periodically destroyed them. Warm, hu-