Komono o Manava Mataipo Nooroa Samuel is calling on the Rarotonga community to respect the ra’ui that was put in place by his late mother in 1995 near The Rarotongan Beach Resort and Lagoonarium.

“The ra’ui stays for life,” Samuel said.

According to Samuel, tourists, visitors and even locals have seen the benefits of the ra’ui, as they observe the beauty of the area in the district of Aroa.

He is asking the community to stop abusing the ra’ui area, which extends a few metres in front of The Rarotongan and 100 metres on the Kaena side.

“We are protecting the marine organisms, the corals, there are some new corals planted, and when you see it yourself, they are beautiful,” Samuel said.

“Some of us when we see it, we don’t care about it, but tourists love to see the beauty of the lagoon.

“Ten years ago, there were no turtles here, but now we are getting turtle - that’s the beauty of this place.”

Samuel claimed that a few weeks ago some guests saw two fishermen with spearguns and questioned them why they were there when it was a marine reserve area.

Secretary of Ministry of Marine Resources, Pamela Maru, had earlier said that while the ministry monitors ra’ui areas (through surveys, etc), these areas are implemented and managed through traditional systems and the Aronga Mana.

Maru had said that many ra’ui have been lifted and not put back in place, and that ra’ui are not legally enforceable.

She encouraged all members of the public to respect ra’ui where they exist.