Customary law and community-based fisheries management across the South Pacific region

The last two decades have seen the emergence of the concept of sustainable development, which now dominates international legal discourse and marks a shift in attitude towards both development and the environment.1 In this context, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation can no longer be considered in isolation from other concerns. However, the task of successfully balancing social issues, the conservation of biodiversity and economic development is a daunting one for many of the small island developing states (SIDS ) of the South Pacific. While the translation of broad aspirational principles into successful action is problematic, it is clear that solutions are required which address both societies and ecosystems.