On Fana and Merir Islands in South West Palau, the local communities know that prevention of illegal fishing is the most important, immediate step toward bringing about healthy coral reefs, productive turtle and bird nesting areas, and thriving island ecosystems for their communities. These communities are the traditional owners and stewards of these islands and they want to protect and sustainably manage their fisheries, but do not have the necessary financial, technical, and scientific resources.
In 2013, Digital Ocean partnered with OneReef to raise money to help bring the island the resources that they needed to protect their land and water from illegal fishing. Digital Ocean’s video campaign helped OneReef raise $20,000 for their project helping the people of South West Palau protect their coral reefs. The campaign received a generous matching contribution of $10,000 from The Center for the Blue Economy.
Watch the video from the campaign: