Situated within the Coral Triangle, the planet’s richest centre of marine life and coral diversity, these seascapes encapsulate all of Papua New Guinea’s uniqueness in one region.

Madang Seascape forms part of the Bismarck Solomon Seas Ecoregion, aptly known as the “Western Indo-Pacific cradle of biodiversity." Marine turtles, including leatherbacks, dugongs, dolphins, whales, and 55 shark and ray species traverse Madang’s waters. Eight fish species are endemic to Madang, with two globally endangered fishes: the Humphead wrasse and the Giant grouper. New marine species in invertebrates and fish continue to be discovered.

In Madang lagoon, where stretches of seagrass beds and dense mangrove forests provide shelter for 820 species of fish, comprising 57% of reef species in Papua New Guinea, dugongs feed on sea grass beds alongside green turtles. On its shores, leatherbacks and crocodiles nest. Further up inland, several islands off its coast, lies some of the country’s highest mountain ranges, including the volcanically active Karkar.

Central Seascape lies along the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, stretching from the coastal areas of Port Moresby to the higher inland regions where the landscape transforms with increasing altitude. Bootless Bay, a proposed Marine Protected Area situated just 20 km from Port Moresby, is within the Central Seascape. This bay encompasses four main islands with diverse marine habitats including mangrove forests, seagrass beds, sandy beaches, rocky shores, reefs, and open water. Notably, numerous wrecks scattered around Bootless Bay host distinctive biological communities, making it a valuable research laboratory for marine biologists.

Through our Marine Integrated Programme, which started in Madang Province in 1997 and later expanded across Central Madang Seascape in 2022, we collaborate with local communities to find ways to restore nature, create livelihood benefits while honouring traditional knowledge. Our experiences here have not only contributed towards nature recovery, but have also enabled progress on sustainable development. 

Now, we are dedicated to enhancing the resilience of coastal communities in the Central Seascape by safeguarding this critical habitat and building community capacity for sustainable resource planning and management, as well as increasing livelihood opportunities.

Our approach involves climate change rehabilitation and mitigation, empowering communities to sustainably manage their coastal fisheries through community-based fisheries management, implementing financial inclusion schemes, and establishing community-based protected areas. WWF is currently training community facilitators who will play pivotal roles in community decision-making processes due to their expertise and experience gained from working with WWF and other partners. The selection of community facilitators will ensure equal representation of women and tribes within the communities.

Some spotlights include...

• Piloted a Stakeholder Engagement and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) tool in 15 Madang communities, ensuring inclusive project design and implementation.
• Developed a framework with a climate change expert to integrate climate considerations into community-based fisheries management planning, including training on designing insurance products for natural hazard impacts.
• Assisted 136 men and women from 18 village savings and loans associations in opening bank accounts, empowering them to overcome social and financial barriers collectively.
• The interim committee for the Madang Lagoon Association (MLA) was re-appointed after 17 years to assist in safeguarding the Madang Lagoon seascape and work towards enabling Madang Lagoon as a National Marine Sanctuary.
• 4 communities are currently developing agreements to implement community-based fisheries management approaches for collective and sustainable marine resource management.
• Communities are engaging in the global Sharks and Rays Recovery Initiative through focus groups, willing to conserve declining species like hammerheads, rhino rays, and sawfish. Despite challenges like gillnet bycatch, particularly in the Gulf of Papua, active community involvement remains crucial for raising awareness, conducting research, and diversifying livelihoods to tackle conservation issues.
• Community representatives from Rigo Coast in Central Province have shared insights into the cultural, social, and economic significance of marine turtles for the WWF/SPREP Turtle Use Project. This understanding will guide the development of national policies and explore alternative options for communities.