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Palmerston Atoll – part 2

One of our aims in coming to Palmerston was to transport official representatives of the Cook Islands Marine Park Steering committee to this remote island. The committee is on a fact-finding mission, to determine what people think of the marine park, and more particularly what they think of a proposal on how the park should be used.

Cook Islands Marine Park Steering Committee is on a fact-finding mission on Palmerston Atoll, where we found this hermit crab.
A hermit crab on one of the beautiful beaches of Palmerston Atoll, where the Cooks Islands Marine Park Steering Committee is on a fact-finding mission.

Cook Islands Marine Park

The Cook Islands Marine Park will be a multi-zoned park, allowing some activities, like local fishing, while excluding others. During their time on Palmerston, the committee held a public meeting to discuss the plans, and then went door to door to collect feedback from the islanders. Armed with the thoughts of the Palmerston islanders the committee will now take their findings about the marine park proposal back to the government in Rarotonga.

Some of the scientists from the Golden Shadow sitting with a resident of Palmerston Atoll curious about the marine park proposal.
Some of the scientists from the Golden Shadow sitting with a resident of Palmerston Atoll curious about the marine park proposal.

(Photos by Alison Barrat)

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