Transcript
TOKE TALAGI: I look at this from a view point that it is an intergenerational investment on our part. I see conservation in that respect as being an investment for the future generation of Niue. I believe that our ancestors used to invest like that but for much shorter periods of time and here are the reasons why I am calling this an intergenerational one because it will involve the future children and children and so on. And I believe that is very, very important for us. Firstly so we can show our own people that we care about what's happening around us and the oceans and so on. But secondly also to demonstrate to the world that in fact even though we might be small we are quite happy to make a contribution towards this, to ensure that they can focus the attention on the oceans that they are polluting at the present moment and as you know climate change and all the things happening with respect to that, is caused by people who are well outside Niue but unfortunately climate change does not have any borders as we all know so therefore it is impacting on things we have here at home. I hope that by this example that world leaders will look at what we are trying to do and see if there is a way for them to work with us as well to make this world a better place for all of us in future.
SARA VUI-TALITU: What is the size of the area?
TT: Well 40 percent of our EEZ which is relatively large in comparison to us. It is very small in comparison to global size but I don't believe necessarily that it is the most important thing although it is important to us. And I think it will be important for people to realize that we are prepared to invest that for our future and that is what I believe is most important.
SV: What has been the reaction to the announcement?
TT: I think a lot of people are very happy about the fact that we have done this. For a lot of our people fishing back home outside the zone, like say 5 to 12 miles is not always done but they recognize the conservation measures that our ancestors used to make. And as I said those conservation measures were made because the terrain in Niue is very harsh and it is very difficult to make a living and therefore they had to conserve food and therefore they had to make sure that there were occasions where they needed to ban fishing and all gathering on the reefs and in the bush and leave it for some time to regenerate, regenerate and regrow before we go back in and harvest again. The difference again as I have said is that this one here is an intergenerational thing and therefore it is important for people to realise that that is what we are investing in.
SV: How will you police it? Will NZ help you?
TT: Well that is an interesting thing. And I have been asking people to get us a drone so we can use it for the EEZ and a drone in my view is probably better than a patrol boat because we can get it to fly up and around quickly and easily and take some photos and bring them back or take some live photos using satellite and so on. That's how I want countries to help us at this present moment. We have asked Australians and we have asked other countries including NZ to provide that as a means for us to patrol our EEZ. But a drone can also be used for search and rescue because it is a lot easier to get it up there than it is for a boat to get out especially if the seas are rough.
SV: I suppose it would be cheaper?
TT: Well that's right but apparently a patrol boat that Australians would be providing would be like 2 to 3 to 5 million dollars while a drone would be like less than half a million dollars so I think it will be cheaper and I think it will probably be more effective than the patrol boat. Although the patrol boats do have a role to play and I don't begrudge the fact that others are getting them but I refuse to take a patrol boat. We just can't maintain it and we can't crew it so therefore it was pointed at our part that we do have a smaller search and rescue vessel that New Zealand has provided and a smaller thing so I believe that if we could complement that with a drone that will help.
