In 2015, the Government of Niue, in collaboration with local non-state actors, NGO Tofia Niue, was successful in gaining Oceans 5 funding to support the development and implementation of a management framework for Niue’s marine resources that would build on existing efforts and ensure the long-term sustainability of Niue’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Niue Ocean Wide (NOW) Project was established under Tofia Niue working in partnership with the government of Niue. The goal of the NOW project was to apply a comprehensive EEZ Management Framework, with supporting legislation and compliance strategies and the development of sustainable financing arrangements going forward. The project aimed to deliver local benefits to Niue through “holistic sustainable development and management of our ocean and its resources – to improve livelihoods of Niuean’s now and into the future. “

The Government of Niue announced its intention to declare about 40% of Niue’s EEZ (including Beveridge Reef) as a large-scale marine protected area (LSMPA) which was declared in October 2017. In addition to various informal consultations on marine spatial management planning in Niue, three marine spatial management planning workshops were held in Niue, in February and August of 2018, and in February 2020. These workshops aimed to promote an understanding of marine spatial management planning to support the sustainable management and development of Niue’s EEZ.  In these workshops all participants were consulted on the proposed scope, purpose, principles, and benefits of a MSMP, including proposed zones to be incorporated into a Niue MSMP.

These workshops made recommendations, some of which were subsequently incorporated into the declaration, on 30 April 2020, of the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area and the Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Area. The Niue MSMP proposes three (3) additional zones namely: the Ocean General Use Zone, the Restricted Commercial Use Zone and the important Conservation and Sustainable Use Zone.  These zones will complement the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area and the Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Area.

The Niue MSMP Activities Guide is a tabular representation of activities and uses allowed and not allowed in the three (3) additional proposed zones and including the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area and the Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Area.  There are increasing levels of protection starting from the least protected Ocean General Use Zone column on the left, moving gradually to the greatest level of protection in the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area column on the right.

The Niue MSMP has been developed utilising several best practice principles for the development of MSMPs. These include responsible community, industry, and Government agency consultation; incorporation of the concept of zoning (varying levels of conservation and protection across different spatial areas of the EEZ of Niue) and utilisation and pursuit of best available science to assess and inform the development of the Niue MSMP.

Naming of Niue’s 40% LSMPA, withing Niue’s EEZ, as “Niue Moana Mahu”, naming Beveridge Reef as “Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Area” AND the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area Regulations were all approved & passed by cabinet in April 2020.  The Niue Marine Spatial Management Plan 2020-2025 was approved by cabinet in November 2020 and the Niue Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park Regulations 2022 were passed by cabinet in November 2021,