The Niue Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park is a marine protected area that encompasses the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone surrounding the Pacific island of Niue, covering a total area of 318,140 square kilometres (122,830 sq mi).
The protected area covers the entirety of Niue's ocean territory, from its coastline to the edge of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
[7] Historically, Niuean villages managed the ocean off their coastline, governing fishing through traditional practices.
The Alofi North Marine Protected Area, established in the late 20th century, was depleted to the same degree as the rest of the island's waters, despite its official no-take designation.
[2] The special protection of Beveridge Reef was driven by the importance of its links to the biodiversity around Niue island.
[9] Other large fish found within the marine park's shallow waters include whitetip reef sharks, spotted eagle rays, marbled whiprays, red snapper, black jacks, dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, humphead wrasse, and Heller's barracuda.
Spinner dolphins[14] and Blainville's beaked whales are other marine mammals that have been observed within the island's waters.
[6] The marine park is governed through a unifying spatial plan that divides it into five zones of different management regimes.
40% is the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area, in which fishing, mining, and hydrocarbon and mineral exploration are prohibited.
[1] Fines for illegal fishing can be as high as NZ$500,000 under standard procedures, with the government able to seek a larger penalty.
The island's villages each have a marine management plan for the governance of the 3-nautical-mile (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) coastal zone.
Low local enforcement capacity is partially addressed through regional cooperation, with the Royal New Zealand Air Force surveying the Moana Mahu area twice a year, and patrols from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission run by nearby countries (the Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tonga) also monitor Niue's waters.
[1] Large pelagic species such as wahoo, mahi-mahi, and yellowfin tuna are caught during big-game fishing.
[1] Other goals for the park include ensuring food security through sustainably managed fisheries, improving environmental health, and creating international leadership in conservation and tourism.
[6] Some funding is generated through an "Ocean Conservation Credits" scheme, which allow people to pay to protect part of the area.