Niue

126,743 square kilometers of improved management of Existing Ocean Conservation Area

Lead Partner: Niue Ocean Wide (NOW)

Niue is an island nation reliant on the ocean for its economy, livelihoods, culture, and people.

Niue is an uplifted atoll of 260 square kilometers located in the South Pacific—2,400 kilometers to the north of New Zealand. The greater part of its coast is comprised of cliffs, which rise to around 60 meters above sea level with an outer reef slope that descends to a depth of 1,000 meters within 5 kilometers of the shore. Niue’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), however, contains 10 remarkable seamounts and three outlying coral reefs (Beveridge, Antipode, and Haran), which sit at or near the surface.  These reefs serve as important stopover locations for migratory species such as cetaceans, turtles, birds, and large fishes.

Aware of the area’s vulnerability and ecological importance, Niue has put its entire EEZ and territorial sea under a holistic management framework, the Niue Nukutuluea Marine Spatial Management Plan, establishing a network of conservation and sustainable resource use zones. In April 2020, following an initially announced commitment at the 2017 Our Oceans Conference in Malta, the Government of Niue formally established the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Nukutulueatama Beveridge Reef Special Management Area. Together, the two sites encompass 40% of Niue’s EEZ and are free from commercially extractive activities. 

The management of those sites is under the responsibility of the Niue Ocean Wide project (NOW) which operates as a public-private partnership between the Government of Niue, local non-profit organization Tofia Niue, Niue tourism, the private sector, and social entrepreneurs. NOW uses conservation efforts to create a sustainable development trajectory to increase the benefits for the communities of Niue. This is done by improving livelihoods and building resilience to climate change and other risks. The project includes efforts to increase local stewardship of the ocean and responsible tourism to recognize the value of ocean conservation as a global environmental benefit. 

The Niue Ocean Wide project is partnering with the Blue Nature Alliance to provide support for the Niue Moana Mahu MPA and Nukutulueatama Beveridge Reef Special Management Area. This course of work will increase critical resources and capacities in support of NOW’s vision and mandate and will enable the management durability of the ocean conservation areas by 2023. 

As part of this collaboration, Niue Ocean Wide and the Blue Nature Alliance aim to increase the NOW partnership’s capacity to access and generate critical conservation financing through the implementation of NOW’s Sustainable Financing Strategy (SFS). This includes the establishment and operationalization of Niue’s first conservation fund as a key vehicle to manage and deploy revenue streams. The conservation fund will support the Niue Government, the NOW partnership, and undergird the communities’ efforts to durably implement Niue’s marine spatial management plan, including sustainable development and resilience building. Our teams will also be working with McKinsey & Company to develop an advanced strategy for revenue-generation opportunities. This strategy will help identify eligible revenue streams and further explore innovative blue finance concepts that are relevant for Niue.