Traditional protection proves more successful for clams in American Samoa – Mongabay
For coastal Indigenous communities in American Samoa, giant clams are deeply rooted in fa‘a Sāmoa (the Samoan way of life) and local food systems…According to the findings of a study published in PeerJ, it is village-based protections like fa‘asao (fishery closures) that have helped conserve giant clams lying in the islands’ shallow water coral reefs. The authors found that the highest clam densities and species are located in remote sites and areas under traditional village enforcement, outperforming federally designated no-take zones on the most populated island….
Delays & Reforms Raise Questions for Outer Banks Nourishment Efforts – Island Free Press
At the center of the uncertainty for upcoming beach nourishment projects is the Federal Emergency Management Agency — better known as FEMA — where policy changes, funding delays, and broader federal debates about disaster response are creating unknowns for coastal communities nationwide, including those on the Outer Banks…