Vava'u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA)

Check out our updates and activity highlights from quarter 3 2026 and see how the team is helping to build healthy ecosystems and communities! Great work Talita.

Are you at Pre-Cop31? Join the conversation!

Malo CSFT!

🌊 JOIN US AT PRE-COP31 | SIDE EVENT

To all delegates, partners and Pacific voices gathered in Fiji for Pre-COP31, we warmly invite you to join us this Thursday, 8 October for our side event:

“From Dialogue to Delivery: Ocean Health, the Blue Economy, and the COP31 Outcome.”

This interactive session will bring together state officials, voyaging leaders, youth, civil society and communities to help shape key recommendations and strengthen Pacific priorities heading into COP31.

🗓 Thursday, 8 October 2026
⏰ 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM
📍 Convention Centre 1, Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay

Join the table. Every voice shapes the outcome 🌊

We look forward to seeing our fellow Pre-COP31 delegates there.

High Seas Alliance Tonga National Youth Congress 2026 Vava'u Environmental Protection Association (VEPA) Tonga National Council of Churches - TNCC Project Division

The Tall Ship, SV Europa has once again visited our shores.

Whilst here they get to enjoy some of the best of Vava'u but they also dedicate there time and passion to the constant effort to clean beaches and protect the environment.

Clean beaches, healthy oceans and environments benefit everyone. Waste dumping and littering impacts everyone.

Awareness is a priority but awareness only goes so far with out enforcement of laws and policy. We have the laws, what we need is the action to enforce them.

Yes it can be difficult to enforce in small islands, but its not impossible and it needs to be a priority. Without responsibility nothing will change.

The team is incredibly grateful for your participation and your commitment to a healthier ocean. Safe travels on your next voyage, and we hope to anchor down for another clean-up together in the future.

Another successful joint clean up with the Governor's office, Ministries, Community Ambassadors, Town Officers, Youth Congress and Peace Corps!

The second Neiafu quarterly clean up was conducted today with a total of 454.5kgs collected from bush and causeway areas.

The clean up is a united effort to stem the flow of waste from the land to the sea, yet the real work continues to reducing littering and illegal dumping.

Great work and effort by everyone, malo to the Ministries for providing your own sacks, gloves and vehicles. The costs to Waste Authority are covered by the Governor's office.

Well done everyone and thankful appreciation to the Governor's office and Honorable Governor for the commitment and support.

Important discussions on navigating the High Seas Treaty and how community stewardship plays a critical role.

Grateful to have been able to virtually present with Tonga Voyaging Society on the Tongan Trench and Whale Nursery Hope spot.

Malo High Seas Alliance

Happy founder day and birthday Dr Sylvia Earle. What a whirlwind it has been since the launch of the Tongan Trench and Whale Nursery Hope Spot. So grateful that we got to spend some time with you recently and the guidance and encouragement you gave to the team and voyagers in the journey ahead

Field Notes: Lisa reports on her day with David and his group.

We had an amazing day out on the water in Vava’u!

I joined 7 visitors on their tour to show them the real conservation work we do every day.

We went out to watch and count humpback whales, and there were many whales around us!

The tourists were thrilled to watch all kinds of exciting whale behaviors right in front of us. We saw whales spy hopping by poking their heads out of the water to look at us, breaching high into the air, blowing water into the sky, and even mugging as they swam right up to circle close around our boat.

Next, we stop by at Vaka’eitu Island to check on our coral garden. The corals were so bright and colorful, and everyone was excited to jump into the sea to help. I showed them how to use a special color card to check if the corals are healthy by matching the light and dark colors on the reef.

The group learned why Vava’u is such a special home for these whales, and they even got to swim in the water near them.

It was a wonderful day teaching people about our ocean and keeping it safe!

The team and ambassadors work hard raising plants in the nursery but also monitoring.

Plants that we raise provide environmental and cultural benefits. Plants such as Milo provide both shoreline stabilization and protection with local medicine.

Vetiver grass is used and transplanted to communities to reduce run off and establish soils in eroded areas.

Monitoring is conducted by ambassadors on a regular basis and helps us ensure best practices and learning.

Focusing programs through a whole of island and ecosystem approach brings broader benefits. Those that work hard in the land also benefit the health of the ocean!