Nuku’alofa – February 22, 2019: 10.25am (Enviro News): The Marine Spatial Plan consultation for Tongatapu is ready to be rolled out from March 4.
This follows the completion of two days of consultation with Town Officers from around Tongatapu here in Nuku’alofa this week.
The Senior Project Manager for the National Marine Spatial Planning Project, Ms Lilieta Takau said after the consultation that the meet with the town officers proved very fruitful and the stage is now set for the consultation to roll out next month.
Two teams will be involved with the consultation, which is expected to run until April 19, 2019.
“We are now set to roll out the consultation here on Tongatapu and we are excited about this process,” Ms Takau said.
The consultation on the main island of Tonga follows earlier consultations carried out in Ha’apai, Vava’u and ‘Eua late last year.
Draft reports from the island consultations have been prepared for the Tonga Ocean 7 technical committee, charged with putting together recommendations to be included in the draft Tonga Ocean Plan.
The Plan will be used to manage Tonga’s ocean and its resources plus activities carried out on Tonga’s waters.
Members of the consultation team also had their briefing in Nuku’alofa today in preparation for the Tongatapu meetings.