World Bank, 1999. Voices from the village. A comparative study of coastal resource management in the Pacific Islands. Pacific Islands Discussion Series. No. 9. East Asia and Pacific Region, Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands Country Management Unit. The World Bank, Washington, D.C.

In 1998-99, the World Bank sponsored a survey of coastal communities in five Pacific Island countries – Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. The purpose of the study was to strengthen the understanding among the region’s coastal managers of the factors that contribute to the successful management of coastal resources. The study was based on a six months survey of 31 coastal communities and was carried out by a regional team composed of a study coordinator based in Fiji and a national consultant in each of the five countries. A World Bank team assisted in the study design, final analysis, and reporting. The study sought to address the following questions: What are the factors external to the communities that are most likely to affect coastal resource management? What are the site-specific characteristics that influence management success? Which management processes are the most conducive to successful coastal resource management? Also surveyed were the perceptions of community groups regarding coastal resource trends, the need for external assistance, the relevance of national legislation to the communities, the effectiveness of partnerships between communities and external organizations, and lessons learned from marine sanctuaries and income-substitution policies. Given the uncertainties that still surround these complex issues, the study’s conclusions are presented as key lessons learned, and the recommendations are kept as specific as possible