The government in Samoa has approved by- laws proposed by 25 villages and two districts to manage their fisheries reserves.
The by-laws give village councils authority to protect their nearshore fishing grounds.
Those who don't comply with the by-laws can be prosecuted by the village with assistance from the Fisheries Division.
More than forty other villages on Upolu and Savaii have already established marine protected areas.
The Fisheries Division conducted workshops last week for the latest villages and districts approved to enforce their fisheries reserves.
The workshops explained the procedures for enforcement and reporting offenders.
