Geospatial training empowers Cook Islands agencies in marine management planning
The Marine Spatial Planning workshop in May brought together participants from key national agencies, including the National Environment Services (NES), Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA), Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR), Ministry of Transport (MoT), Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI), and several NGOs. ICI/25061101
The Cook Islands is increasing efforts to protect and sustainably manage its marine environment through its involvement in the Pacific Biodiversity and Sustainable Land‐Seascapes Programme (Pacific BioScapes), a regional initiative funded by the European Union and coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
This programme promotes biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable natural resource use across Pacific Island countries.
It applies a “ridge-to-reef” and ocean governance approach to tackle interconnected environmental pressures.
One of the key implementing partners, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Oceania Regional Office, is working directly with the Cook Islands and Kiribati.
In the Cook Islands, IUCN is spearheading efforts in Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) – an essential tool for managing ocean spaces.
In May, IUCN hosted a Marine Spatial Planning workshop in the Cook Islands, bringing together 19 participants from key national agencies, including the National Environment Services (NES), Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA), Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR), Ministry of Transport (MoT), Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI), and several NGOs (non-government organisations).
The training focused on using geospatial tools like QGIS and ArcGIS for data collection, analysis and mapping. Participants gained hands-on experience in verifying and managing spatial data to support marine management and planning.
Gander Vosaki, senior GIS environment advisor at Infrastructure Cook Islands, emphasised that the workshop aimed to build technical skills in geospatial data use, align marine data with national planning priorities and strengthen inter-agency coordination.
“This training helps shape marine policies by providing location-based insights that support informed decision-making, identify key areas for protection and ensure resources are sustainably managed,” Vosaki said.
As part of the broader BioScapes Programme, IUCN is supporting the development of a National Marine Spatial Plan (NMSP) for the Cook Islands.
This includes:
Drafting a national consultation strategy;
Updating marine datasets;
Identifying Special and Unique Marine Areas (SUMAs);
Supporting visioning workshops and gap analyses; and
Developing ocean zone typologies to inform Marine Protected Area (MPA) design.
An Implementing Partner Agreement (IPA) between IUCN and the Cook Islands government is currently under review, with particular attention to intellectual property clauses.
The goal, Vosaki says, is to build local expertise and tools that support effective and sustainable ocean governance.
The Pacific BioScapes Programme is not just about technical assistance, it’s about empowering the Cook Islands to take charge of its marine future with the right tools, data and partnerships.
As the Cook Islands continues to increase drive in its marine conservation efforts, the BioScapes Programme is a significant support mechanism for achieving a resilient, well-managed and biodiverse marine environment.
Written by Melina Etches | Published in Environment, National