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Community-based fisheries management (CBFM) is a standard management framework in Melanesia. Yet, there is increasing evidence that women, among other marginalised groups, experience barriers to inclusion in decision-making processes. Through a case study in three communities in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands, we adapted Agarwal’s 2001 participation typology for a Melanesian CBFM context to present a participation model for assessing gender inclusivity in CBFM. We defined six levels of women’s participation, including, (1) no participation, (2) nominal, (3) passive, (4) consultive, (5) active, and (6) interactive (empowering) participation, defined as actively participating in all aspects of the decision-making process, and holding leadership roles that increase women’s influence and power across the community. The model should be broadly useful throughout Melanesia across many different cultural contexts, though we anticipate that aspects will need adaptation in different contexts, both within and beyond Solomon Islands. We found that the three study communities respectively fell within the passive, consultive, and active levels. Our results show that gender parity, that is equal representation of women and men, is not a reliable indicator of gender equity. The utility of the model lies in its implementation, which requires engagement with gender power structures. This work contributes to the gender, small-scale fisheries, and community-based management literature by assessing women’s participation in CBFM decision-making processes through use of a participation model, and providing recommendations to fisheries practitioners on implementation of the model to assess gender equity in a community’s CBFM structures.

Real-time monitoring networks are increasingly prevalent in supporting the management of environmental systems as the technology for live data collection becomes more accessible. Additionally, ecosystem and water resource pressures have persisted and intensified under climate pressures and an expanding anthropogenic footprint. The way in which models and data are fused in the day-to-day management of water resources operations, as well as for long-term planning and investment, has been a critical field of research. An adaptive real-time monitoring-integrated learning modelling approach was developed and applied to improve the understanding of the mixing dynamics in a water supply reservoir in Queensland, Australia. This was accomplished through the combination of sequentially linked catchment and reservoir models with in situ real-time measurements of temperature and flow along with meteorological forecasts from an Australian numerical weather model, to produce short-term water quality forecasts. An adaptive learning catchment model was developed and linked for each inflow arm of the reservoir using the Australian Water Balance Model. This framework enabled automated online communication to researchers and managers around the current performance of the inflow predictions and the confidence expected in the current forecasts. Moreover, this live learning catchment model was coupled with a real-time adaptive three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the reservoir iteratively training using data from the deployed real-time temperature monitoring system. A prototype internet-connected remotely operable autonomous surface vessel was deployed with a winching system for conducting dynamic water quality profiling operations under the guidance of waypoints guidance generated from the real-time adaptive modelling forecasts. Data collected by ASV was subsequently provided back to the modelling system in real-time. The complete system facilitated the online adaptive forecasting of mixing dynamics in the reservoir and the automated identification of features of interest for water quality profiling, as well as dynamically monitoring the areas potentially most valuable for model learning development to improve system-wide understanding and forecast certainty through addition into the live dataset for ongoing training and evaluation. Evidence was found in support of a rolling iterative calibration procedure for increasing model skill sensitivity to different processes occurring over temporal and spatial scales across both catchment and receiving water models. Dynamically guided spatial monitoring generated from maximum predicted areas of variation and parameter sensitivity in the real-time adaptive receiving water model demonstrated that monitoring of the receiving water inflow arms during inflow events was necessary during inflow events to train the model on the strongest signal of the driving force of changes in the receiving water environment. Overall, the uncertainty in rainfall events from both forecasted and observed sources cascading with the uncertainty in catchment simulations with only static indirect monitoring of flow (ungauged at any of the inflow arms to the reservoir) was found to be the most significant hindrance to the utility of the applied real-time adaptive modelling framework. The application of an adaptive computer vision-based stream gauging approach was then trialled on one of the ungauged inflow arms in order to supplement this gap.

The gauging of free surface flows in waterways provides the foundation for monitoring and managing the water resources of built and natural environments. A significant body of literature exists around the techniques and benefits of optical surface velocimetry methods to estimate flows in waterways without intrusive instruments or structures. However, to date, the operational application of these surface velocimetry methods has been limited by site configuration and inherent challenging optical variability across different natural and constructed waterway environments. This work demonstrates a significant advancement in the operationalisation of non-contact stream discharge gauging applied in the computer vision stream gauging (CVSG) system through the use of methods for remotely estimating water levels and adaptively learning discharge ratings over time. A cost-effective stereo camera-based stream gauging device (CVSG device) has been developed for streamlined site deployments and automated data collection. Evaluations between reference state-of-the-art discharge measurement technologies using DischargeLab (using surface structure image velocimetry), Hydro-STIV (using space–time image velocimetry), acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), and gauging station discharge ratings demonstrated that the optical surface velocimetry methods were capable of estimating discharge within a 5 %–15 % range between these best available measurement approaches. Furthermore, results indicated model machine learning approaches leveraging data to improve performance over a period of months at the study sites produced a marked 5 %–10 % improvement in discharge estimates, despite underlying noise in stereophotogrammetry water level or optical flow measurements. The operationalisation of optical surface velocimetry technology, such as CVSG, offers substantial advantages towards not only improving the overall density and availability of data used in stream gauging, but also providing a safe and non-contact approach for effectively measuring high-flow rates while providing an adaptive solution for gauging streams with non-stationary characteristics.

Coastal hazards pose a serious and increasing threat to the wellbeing of coastal communities. Adaptation responses to these hazards ideally need to be embedded in the local adaptation context. However, there is little understanding of factors that shape local adaptation choices, especially in rural and remote island settings. In this paper, we compile data on adaptation responses to coastal hazards and key factors that shape adaptation across 43 towns and villages in four Pacific island nations. Local communities cite erosion as a critical coastal hazard, even more often than coastal flooding and sea level rise. We find that communities prefer protective adaptation responses that use local knowledge and resources eand protect coastal ecosystems. Our findings reveal differences in preferred versus implemented adaptation responses.Ecosystem-based adaptation is the most commonly implemented response to coastal hazards. Seawalls and other hard structures are widely preferred and perceived as effective adaptation responses but are often not implemented due to a lack of social, institutional and technical capacity. Retreat is a highly unpopular adaptation response, and difficult to implement, as coastal communities in this study indicate a strong place attachment and are deeply embedded in their social and natural environment. Our results suggest that the selection of adaptation responses might involve important trade-offs between multiple, potentially conflicting, local priorities, such as the preference for seawalls and the need to protect coastal ecosystems. Findings emphasize the importance of considering the local context when making adaptation choices and show that even when responding to the same hazard, adaptation responses can vary significantly depending on local priorities and capacities.

The gauging of open channel flows in waterways provides the foundation to monitor, understand and manage the water resources of our built and natural environment. Several methods are available for measuring the flow, with each of these methods having its own advantages and limitations. For a significant economic and environmental cost, hydraulic control structures can be built to measure the flow using analytical relationships with water height often by measuring the pressure head invasively in the water. Another common approach using the proxy measurement of water height without a hydraulic control structure is the expensive development and maintenance of a discharge rating table relating the measured water height to an estimated flow which has been manually measured at a previous time by acoustic instruments with technically proficient operators. Whilst these approaches are typically able to reasonably estimate flow within their measurement range, the safety risks in monitoring high flow events and the ongoing costs involved are prohibitive to increasing the spatial coverage of these approaches. As water resources become increasingly vulnerable to climate variability, modification of waterways, and increased extraction, there is a critical need to develop monitoring tools that can be flexible, cost-effective, and safe.Much research has been undertaken into optical non-contact methods to estimate flow in waterways by measuring surface velocities without intrusive instruments or structures. However, to date, these surface velocimetry methods are limited to a narrow operational window of certain stream types and flow velocities due to inherent challenging optical variability in stream environments. A cost-effective stereographic camera-based stream gauging device has been developed for rapid stream gauging through the remote sensing of water height and stream velocities to estimate flows and employ the learning of an adaptive discharge rating envelope. The device includes embedded edge computing capabilities, local app connectivity for setup, and online cloud fleet management with a data dashboard for streamlined deployment and ongoing operational monitoring. Automated analysis is performed reconstructing the point cloud of the scene in front of the camera out to 40 m in order to estimate the water level without any instream equipment. An optical flow algorithm is passed over the short videos collected, generating an array of net motion in the scene which is projected out of the image plane onto the assumed water surface plane using the water level estimation combined with the accelerometer and the embedded intrinsic camera properties. The optically measured motions which are out of the plane of the waterway surface are then able to be automatically filtered and integrated into a water level indexed learning surface velocity distribution which generates an updating adaptive discharge rating envelope for the site. With over 100,000 videos recorded and analysed across 20 sites, the computer vision stream gauging approach has achieved discharge measurements within 15% RMSE of traditional acoustic gauging. This work evaluates this innovative approach across sites on the east coast of Australia and demonstrates the potential to improve the operational reliability and performance of surface velocimetry stream gauging.

Pollution from land-based run-off threatens coastal ecosystems and the services they provide, detrimentally affecting the livelihoods of millions people on the world's coasts. Planning for linkages among terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems can help managers mitigate the impacts of land-use change on water quality and coastal ecosystem services. We examine the approaches used for land-sea planning, with particular focus on the models currently used to estimate the impacts of land-use change on water quality and fisheries. Our findings could also be applied to other ecosystem services. This Review encompasses modelling of: large scale drivers of land-use change; local activities that cause such change; run-off, dispersal and transformation of pollutants in the coastal ocean; ecological responses to pollutants; socio-economic responses to ecological change; and finally, the design of a planning response. We find that there is a disconnect between the dynamical models that can be used to link land to sea processes and the simple tools that are typically used to inform planning. This disconnect may weaken the robustness of plans to manage dynamic processes. Land-sea planning is highly interdisciplinary, making the development of effective plans a challenge for small teams of managers and decision makers. Synthesis and applications. We propose some guiding principles for where and how dynamic land-sea connections can most effectively be built into planning tools. Tools that can capture pertinent processes are needed, but they must be simple enough to be implemented in regions with limited resources for collecting data, developing models and developing integrated land-sea plans.

Human disturbance of karst landscapes in tropical volcanic islands present a unique challenge for understanding sediment transport to the coastal zone. Here we present the first evidence of urban drinking water quality impacts from industrial logging in the Solomon Islands. Despite only 6% of the Honiara's drinking water catchment being disturbed by logging, rhodamine dye tracers demonstrated complex karst sinkholes that led to high suspended sediment concentrations being transported from neighbouring Kovi catchment into the Kongulai water supply offtake point for Honiara. This has resulted in the exceedance of practical treatment thresholds of 20 NTU 9.5% of the time, leading to water supply for the majority of Honiara's residents being unavailable for 58 days in 2019. This work highlights the cost-benefit disparity between industrial logging yielding minimal short-term economic yields in comparison to on-going broader impacts of increased coastal sediment transport while restricting water supply to a developing nation's capital.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed gaps in our understanding of safe, effective and efficient means of disinfecting high use public spaces. Whilst this creates an opportunity for development and application of innovative approaches such as unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based disinfection, unregulated outdoor disinfection using chlorine has led to environmental and public health risks. This study has quantified the efficiency, safety and efficacy of UAV-based spraying of aqueous ozone. Optimised UAV flight characteristics of 4.7 km/h at 1.7 m elevation spraying 2.4 L/min were able to provide >97% and >92% coverage of a 1 m and 2 m wide swath respectively. During spraying operations using 1 mg/L aqueous ozone, atmospheric concentrations of ozone remained within background levels (, Graphical abstract Image 1

Achieving sustainable development globally requires multilevel and interdisciplinary efforts and perspectives. Global goals shape priorities and actions at multiple scales, creating cascading impacts realized at the local level through the direction of financial resources and implementation of programs intended to achieve progress towards these metrics. We explore ways to localize global goals to best support human well-being and environmental health by systematically comparing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with regionally-derived well-being dimensions that encompass components of social–ecological resilience across the Pacific Islands. Our research shows that, in the context of the Pacific, there are overlaps but also significant gaps between regional conceptions of well-being and the globally-derived SDGs. Some dimensions, related to human health and access to infrastructure and finances, are well represented in the SDGs. Other dimensions of high importance when localizing perspectives of well-being, such as those regarding connections between and across people and place and Indigenous and local knowledge, are not. Furthermore, internationally generated indicators may result in trade-offs and measurement challenges in local contexts. Creating space for place-based values in global sustainability planning aligns with international calls for transformational changes needed to achieve global goals. We identify challenges in applying SDG indicators at the local level and provide lessons learned to foster equitable and holistic approaches and outcomes for sustainability.

Gold mining of arsenopyrite ore bodies result in waste tailings that contain elevated levels of arsenic. Disposal of these wastes in a Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) represents a substantial environmental risk if not properly managed. The Gold Ridge mine on Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands was abandoned from 2014 to 2018, leaving the TSF with little ongoing environmental management. Surface water quality monitoring observed a threefold increase in surface water arsenic concentrations over a 6-month period when no mining operations were occurring. This study aimed to investigate bottom sediments as the source of elevated concentrations of arsenic in the surface waters of the TSF during mine closure. This was achieved by analysing arsenic concentrations in the surface water, sediment porewaters and by quantifying sediment arsenic flux as dissolved oxygen availability declined. It was evident that bottom sediments of the TSF were the potential source of arsenic, having an average arsenic concentration of 437.9 mg kg−1. In addition, average sediment porewater arsenic concentrations across the TSF were 1.07 mg L−1, with a large central zone of highly elevated concentrations peaking at over 17 mg L−1. Long term sediment core incubations demonstrated arsenic effluxes from all sites monitored under both oxic and hypoxic conditions, ranging from 0.72 mg m−2 day−1 to 7.01 mg m−2 day−1 respectively. These results suggest that arsenic hotspots within the TSF have the capability to contribute to increased arsenic concentrations in surface waters. Management of mine TSF’s should consider these geochemical interactions that can occur in abandoned sites.

Sea-level rise will lead to substantial changes to coastal geomorphology over the coming century and it is imperative to understand the implications. This includes the underlying stratigraphic influences on seabed morphology and the historical context with which they have formed. On the densely populated coastline of Eastern Australia, coastal erosion is a significant concern for residents and stakeholders. In South East Queensland, and particularly the coastal zone surrounding Bribie Island spit in Northern Moreton Bay, the accelerated erosion of the spit and discovery of indurated sand horizons in nearshore regions both above and below the seabed create a convergence of the past influencing the present.Indurated sand horizons are predominantly considered to be the relict B horizon of the pedogenic processes that formed a podosol soil profile. Whilst not ubiquitous under present sea level, their presence presents a unique opportunity to study an accessible palaeosol unaltered by further pedogenesis and carbon input (as opposed to terrestrial indurated sand formations). This allows for an analysis of a time in Northern Moreton Bay during lower sea levels and how these horizons affect present day morphology. Data acquisition consisted of high and low frequency acoustics, coupled with core samples for geological analysis.Our results show the indurated sands buried under 1-2 m of marine sands sloping downwards to the east. This suggests the present-day seabed follows the contours of the sub-surface indurated sand. High-resolution bathymetry of exposed indurated sand outcrops near Bribie Island spit indicate a dune-like shape suggesting a formation from coastal sand dunes into active terrestrial soil during lower sea levels. The dune troughs having accumulated greater mineral and organic material than the peaks, which can be attributed to the former surviving inundation from rising sea levels and the latter having undergone a weaker pedogenesis and subsequently erosion. Exposed indurated sand outcrops with a vertical face or ‘scour step’ are elevated to the surrounding marine sand seabed. Similar elevated structures were found to be a barrier to onshore sediment transport from offshore deposits and limiting beach replenishment whilst also offering protection from dampening long period waves and large storm swells. Core samples taken through the indurated layer from behind the spit to the shipping channel offshore showed elevated levels of aluminium and iron compared to surrounding marine sands, and consistent with podosol soil formation.The techniques used here suggest that historical terrestrial geomorphology has determined the shape, mineralogy and strength of indurated sand layers. As these indurated sand layers were submerged and further modified by present day sea level, they may play an important role in coastal geomorphology and protection as sea levels rise further in the coming century.

This paper summarises the results of an extensive field campaign which demonstrates that high sediment organic matter is the primary driver of methane ebullition in a sub-tropical, freshwater reservoir. Methane emissions from freshwater reservoirs represent an important global methane source. Whilst diffusive methane fluxes are commonly used for predicting total emissions, recent studies show that the under-reported ebullitive fluxes can vary by over three orders of magnitude within an individual system and have a greater relative contribution compared to diffusion. Key to predicting this variability in emission rates is to better understand the primary drivers of different emission pathways, and in particular ebullition. Zones of catchment derived organic material as well as elevated water column chlorophyll a concentration have been associated with increased rates of ebullition. Little Nerang Dam (LND), a subtropical freshwater reservoir in Queensland Australia, consistently experiences high rates of ebullition adjacent to major inflow arms that are both deposition zones of catchment organic material as well as areas with elevated water column chlorophyll a concentration. A year-long study of emission rates was undertaken on LND during which water column chlorophyll a concentration, bottom water temperature and sediment organic matter content were assessed for methane ebullition potential. This included a transect with high-spatial sampling (259 sites) from the dam wall to the ebullition zones to explore the relationship between water column chlorophyll a concentration, sediment organic matter content and methane ebullition. These results showed that ebullition was associated with the large forest litter deposits adjacent to major inflow sites where sediment organic matter content was significantly higher compared with the main body of the reservoir.

The population of Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the western Pacific has experienced dramatic declines over the past two decades. The full extent of these declines and the current status of the western Pacific sub-population remains unclear due to the remote nature of these nesting beaches. Zaira, on the southern coast of Vangunu Island in the Western Province of Solomon Islands is a previously undocumented nesting ground for Leatherback Sea Turtles. Whilst leatherbacks in this area have traditionally been harvested by the local communities, the Zaira community independently initiated a full closure over leatherbacks in 1999 as a response to reducing numbers. This study provides an overview of the scientific and traditional knowledge that the Zaira community has used to underpin their community-based management regime of Leatherback Sea Turtles. The community self-initiated the construction of a leatherback hatchery that was able to replicate the ideal nesting temperature for balanced sex ratios. Furthermore, the community developed a nest monitoring and satellite telemetry programme to provide a regional context to their conservation efforts. This community-led approach highlights the important role local communities can play in the conservation of this iconic species.

We use a multi-tracer approach to identify catchment sources of nitrogen (N) in the skeletons of nearshore Porites corals within the Great Barrier Reef. We measured δ15N, δ13C and C:N ratios of particulate organic matter (POM) sampled from the Pioneer River catchment and identified five distinct end-members: (1) marine planktonic and algal-dominated matter with higher δ15N values from the river mouth and coastal waters; (2) estuarine planktonic and algal matter with lower δ15N values associated with estuarine mixing; (3) lower river freshwater phytoplankton and algal-dominated matter in stratified reservoirs adjacent to catchment weirs, with the 15N-enriched source likely caused by microbial remineralization and denitrification; (4) upper river low δ15N terrigenous soil matter eroded from cane fields bordering waterways; and (5) terrestrial plant detrital matter in forest streams, representing a low δ15N fixed atmospheric nitrogen source. The δ15N values of adjacent, nearshore Porites coral skeletons is reflective of POM composition in coastal waters, with 15N-enriched values reflective of transformed N during flood pulses from the Pioneer River.

Past catchment practices can contribute to environmental impacts for decades following their cessation. We examine the distribution of the prevalent organochlorine pesticide, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDE, DDD) in the sediments of a sub-tropical river system (Brisbane River, Australia). This study aimed to identify sources of DDT, DDE, DDD into the lower reaches of the Brisbane River. Annual sediment sampling of the lower Brisbane River over a period of 15 years (2001-2015) revealed a significant increase in sediment DDT, DDE and DDD content following major floods. A regional survey detected elevated sediment DDT, DDE and DDD content at 32 of 79 sites sampled; however, these were generally below guideline trigger values. DDE was the sole fraction at all but one site with creek systems dominated by intensive cropping practices identified as legacy sources and major flood events as a driver of elevated sediment DDE content in the lower reaches.

Whilst future air temperature thresholds have become the centrepiece of international climate negotiations, even the most ambitious target of 1.5 °C will result in significant sea-level rise and associated impacts on human populations globally. Of additional concern in Arctic regions is declining sea ice and warming permafrost which can increasingly expose coastal areas to erosion particularly through exposure to wave action due to storm activity. Regional variability over the past two decades provides insight into the coastal and human responses to anticipated future rates of sea-level rise under 1.5 °C scenarios. Exceeding 1.5 °C will generate sea-level rise scenarios beyond that currently experienced and substantially increase the proportion of the global population impacted. Despite these dire challenges, there has been limited analysis of how, where and why communities will relocate inland in response. Here, we present case studies of local responses to coastal erosion driven by sea-level rise and warming in remote indigenous communities of the Solomon Islands and Alaska, USA, respectively. In both the Solomon Islands and the USA, there is no national government agency that has the organisational and technical capacity and resources to facilitate a community-wide relocation. In the Solomon Islands, communities have been able to draw on flexible land tenure regimes to rapidly adapt to coastal erosion through relocations. These relocations have led to ad hoc fragmentation of communities into smaller hamlets. Government-supported relocation initiatives in both countries have been less successful in the short term due to limitations of land tenure, lacking relocation governance framework, financial support and complex planning processes. These experiences from the Solomon Islands and USA demonstrate the urgent need to create a relocation governance framework that protects people’s human rights.

Coastal fisheries provide staple food and sources of livelihood in Pacific Island countries, and securing a sustainable supply is recognised as a critical priority for nutrition security. This study sought to better understand the role of fish for Pacific Island communities during disasters and in disaster recovery. To evaluate community impacts and responses after natural disasters, focus group discussions were held with men and women groups at ten sites across Shefa, Tafea, Malampa and Sanma provinces in Vanuatu. The combined impacts of category 5 Tropical Cyclone Pam (TC-Pam) in March 2015 and prolonged El-Nino induced drought have had a profound impact across much of Vanuatu. Terrestrial systems had been disproportionately impacted with substantial shortages in drinking water, garden crops, cash crops and damage to infrastructure. Localized impacts were noted on marine environments from TC-Pam and the drought, along with an earthquake that uplifted reef and destroyed fishing grounds in Malampa province. Communities in Malampa and Shefa provinces also noted a crown-of-thorns outbreak that caused coral mortality. The significant reduction in terrestrial-based food and income generation capacity generally led to increased reliance on marine resources to cope and a shift in diets from local garden food to rice. However, limited market access, lack of fishing skills and technology in many sectors of the community reduced the capacity for marine resources to support recovery. A flexible management approach allowed protected areas and species to be utilized as reservoirs of food and income when temporarily opened to assist recovery. These findings illustrate that fish and fisheries management is at the center of disaster preparedness and relief strategies in remote Pacific Island communities. High physical capital (e.g. infrastructure, water tanks and strong dwellings) is key for disaster preparedness, but supporting community social capital for the purpose of natural resource management and human capital for diverse adaptation skills can also improve community resilience. Recognizing the humanitarian value that well managed fisheries resources and skilled fishers can play to disaster relief adds another dimension to the imperative of improving management of coastal fisheries and aligning policies across sectors.

Coastal fish populations are typically threatened by multiple human activities, including fishing pressure and run-off of terrestrial pollution. Linking multiple threats to their impacts on fish populations is challenging because the threats may influence a species directly, or indirectly, via its habitats and its interactions with other species. Here we examine spatial variation in abundance of coral reef fish across gradients of fishing pressure and turbidity in Fiji. We explicitly account for multiple pathways of influence to test the alternative hypotheses that (1) habitat moderates predation by providing shelter, so habitat loss only affects prey fish populations if there are abundant predators, (2) habitat change co-drives biomass of both prey and predator functional groups. We examined responses of 7 fish functional groups and found that habitat change co-drives both predator and prey responses to turbidity. Abundances of all functional groups were associated with changes in habitat cover; however, the responses of their habitats to turbidity were mixed. Planktivore and piscivore abundance were lower in areas of high turbidity, because cover of their preferred habitats was lower. Invertivore, browser and grazer abundance did not change strongly over the turbidity gradient, because different components of their habitats exhibited both increases and decreases with turbidity. The effects of turbidity on fish populations were minor in areas where fish populations were already depleted by fishing. These findings suggest that terrestrial run-off modifies the composition of reef fish communities indirectly by affecting the benthic habitats that reef fish use.

In recent years, Fiji's approach of combining traditional systems of community-based coastal management and modern management systems has become a successful blueprint for marine conservation, particularly the Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) network model. As a result of this success, conservation practitioners have imported the Fiji LMMA model to the Solomon Islands and in Vanuatu in hope of replicating the purported success attained in Fiji. This paper argues that because tenure systems and associated political systems in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu are substantially different, one cannot simply extrapolate the more centralized tenurial and political Fiji model to the decentralized tenurial and politically eclectic Solomons and Vanuatu. This paper provides an analysis of some of the various approaches used in these countries to make a case for why socio-political diversity and historical particulars matter to resource management and conservation-in-practice (and for any development interventions). By examining examples of various nested and polycentric governance approaches—family, community, tribal, confederations, local community-based organizations (CBOs), and Church—it elucidates not only some of the differences between Fiji and Solomon Islands/Vanuatu, but also between Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. This provides critical insights into some of the myriad of factors impinging on conservation aspirations in these countries and may offer some alternative ways forward not currently considered by conservation practitioners. Finally, the paper provides some guidelines to how to increase the long-term success of marine conservation programs for fisheries management and community-based management initiatives in the region.