Samoa is implementing a comprehensive coral reef monitoring programme, involving a workshop and session with various stakeholders to enhance management and conservation efforts.

The Pacific ReefCloud initiative, currently being piloted in Samoa, will serve as the foundation for establishing a regional community of practice that will enable the development of a standardised coral reef monitoring methodology.

A statement released by the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), stated that the national programme will support Samoa Ocean Strategy’s priorities: to improve research and data collection and monitoring; and, to strengthen the effectiveness of coastal management using traditional knowledge, innovation, and marine science

Samoa has significantly contributed to the project by incorporating traditional knowledge through knowledge exchange in Aleipata village.

The workshop, facilitated by The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in partnership with the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), reviewed existing monitoring regimes, identified challenges and gaps, and explored new ideas.

Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Seumalo Afele Fai’ilagi, said the ReefCloud project is an opportunity to help the Government of Samoa build a national coral reef monitoring programme and an implementation plan outlining the various national agencies to monitor our coral reefs.

“It can also assist with the issue of reliable data available on the status of coral reefs in Samoa, this can support the Samoa Ocean Strategy in the coming years,” he said.

AIMS Research Team Lead Dr Manuel Gonzalez Rivero said Western science and traditional knowledge were both about observation and communicating how nature changed in response to pressures but this information was gathered and shared in very different ways.

“Nowadays anyone can take a photo – and it’s a great platform to collect data,” he said.

“At AIMS we have created ReefCloud, a platform that uses AI to help us extract information from those images and put it in a language that is easily transferable and can inform decision-makers about how reefs are changing and to identify those that most urgently need protection.

“Reefs are changing very quickly, so we need to innovate in how we preserve coral reefs.”

Rahul Tikaram, SPREP Coastal and Marine Specialist, Pacific BioScapes Programme said: "Under the Pacific Coral Reef Action Plan, we're combining advanced scientific techniques, indigenous knowledge, and local involvement to improve management outcomes using a unique, innovative monitoring method called ReefCloud, developed by AIMS. 

“Nearing completion, this approach aligns with Coral Reef Action Plan Areas 2 and 8 promoting traditional wisdom and science. 

“Our objective is to safeguard our precious marine ecosystems, ensuring they continue to support island communities for generations. With the monumental task at hand, our commitment to these initiatives ensures a balanced approach to conservation and development in the Pacific region despite unprecedented biodiversity threats and resource restraints."

The programme is part of a four-year investment by AIMS and the Australian Government to help to build coral reef monitoring capabilities in the Pacific by expanding the use of ReefCloud to support the Pacific Coral Reef Action Plan. 

It is also supported by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) and the Accenture Foundation.