The tiny Pacific island nation of Niue has come up with an original plan to protect its territorial waters — it will get sponsors to pay.
The plan was launched by Niue's Premier Dalton Tagelagi last week in New York. Individuals or companies can pay $148 to protect 1 square kilometer — or about 250 acres — of ocean from threats such as illegal fishing and plastic waste for a period of 20 years.
Niue hopes to raise more than $18 million from the plan by selling 127,000 square-kilometer units, representing 40% of its waters that form a marine protected area.
Tagelagi told the Associated Press, “We are surrounded by the ocean, and we live off the ocean. That's our livelihood.”
He added that because of all the illegal fishing and all the other activities at the moment, they thought to take the lead and teach others that "we've got to protect the ocean.”
Niue is also especially vulnerable to rising sea levels threatening its land and freshwater.
With a population of just 1,700 people, Niue acknowledges it needs outside help. It's one of the smallest countries in the world, surrounded by an ocean territory 1,200 times larger than its land mass.
Under the plan, the sponsorship money will be administered by a charitable trust.
Niue will buy 1,700 sponsorship units, representing one for each of its citizens.
