26 Feb 2013

SPC and SPREP get NZ funding

3:23 pm on 26 February 2013

Regional agencies in the Pacific have received substantial commitments from New Zealand this week .

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community will get just over five million US dollars in annual contributions and the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme 3.8 million US dollars for a three-year period.

The SPC funding goes towards various regional services such ocean and islands management programmes, fisheries, training for para-vets and public health.

The director general of the Regional Environment Programme, or SPREP, David Sheppard, says the funding will support programmes in solid waste management or help protect biodiversity while encouraging economic development.

"As one example of that we have a programme that will be starting this year with the Department of Conservation in New Zealand looking at how we can better manage turtle populations and link that with eco-tourism development, as a viable alternative to the eating or over consumption of the turtle population."

David Sheppard of SPREP