All over the world, the sea remains an important source of food and income for millions. But over exploitation of the deep has led to a serious depletion in global fish stocks. In Fiji, the province of Macuata is fighting back, creating marine protected areas to replenish fish numbers.

Clement Paligaru: Macuatu is one of Fiji's biggest provinces. It dominates the country's second biggest island, Vanua Levu, sprawling across a vast coastline in the north and west of the island.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere - Chief, Macuata Province: Most of the villages in Macuata are located on the sea coast and most of our life depends on our resources from the sea.

Male villager: Sometimes when my family wants something to (eat) I just go to the sea I get some, what I want.

Clement Paligaru: But earlier this decade, the once abundant oceans started showing signs of strain and overfishing.

Ratu Samuela Tuidravo - Chief, Korotubu village: And we've seen changes from past years - there've been less fish. And we've been going out to fish in one whole day, without any catch. I think it's due to different ways of fishing p the modern types of fishing we are using now like snorkling and using spear guns. Because before, we do not use that. We use only fishing hooks and spear.

Clement Paligaru: For the villagers of Macuata province, smaller catches in the ocean didn't just mean less food on the table, for the growing population but also higher costs as they travelled further out to sea to make ends meet.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere: That was my concern, that we have to pay more to go further out into sea to harvest.

Ratu Samuela Tuidravo: Our village - the only source of income is the sea, the fish.

Clement Paligaru: As Tui Macuata or paramount chief of the Province, Ratu Aisea Katonivere is responsible for the well being of all 100 plus villages in Macuata Province. He admits he didn't know Macuata's reef was globally important until a conversation around the kava bowl with an international conservation organisation.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere: The reefs that our forefathers have been getting our fish from - which lies beside Macuata - in fact is the third largest reef system in the world.

Clement Paligaru: After consulting his people, he decided that the best way to restore fish stocks was by taking a scientific approach - declaring certain areas out of bounds, and monitoring marine life.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere: It is the collective will of the community that has to establish a marine protected area close to their village which they can monitor. And when we have a marine protected area - a no go zone - that is where you can say that you have got a specific space, that the fish can breed.

A chief has to be involved. A chief has to take the first step.

Clement Paligaru: The initiative is known as the Macuata Locally Managed Marine Area Network. Fishing is banned in some areas, restricted in others.

Sanivalati Navuku - World Wildlife Fund, Fiji: Some of the reefs can be protected for five years and then opened after five years. Some reefs are just restriction of gear.

Ratu Samuela Tuidravo: Right now we are not allowed to use fishing nets. And now we are tring to stop night diving.

Clement Paligaru: That helps limit the number of fish being caught.

Sanivalati Navuku: Some of the areas are permanent. And some are very specific in terms of the fish or invertabrates you are able to extract.

Clement Paligaru: Traditionally, fishing was restricted at times for short periods.

Ratu Samuela Tuidravo: We have tabus - traditional tabus before. When a chief dies we do conserve some areas, not to go and fish. But wth this one it is long term conservation so it takes years yeah?

Clement Paligaru: Fishing restrictions are just part of the strategy. The villagers and scientists also have to collect and analyse large amounts of data to work out whether the fishing restrictions are working and fish numbers are growing.

Dr Stacy Jupiter - Wildlife Conservation Society: By comparing both inside and outside the protected areas, you can see if there's been a large effect. But in order to see that effect, there's two ways to do it. One is to look under water, and do surveys and actually count the number and the size of the fish you are seeing. And the second way is to assess what's being caught by the fishermen so both of those practices are being put into place in Macuata.

Clement Paligaru: Neighbouring villages in Macuata share fishing grounds and faith. The Sunday service is proving an effective way of spreading conservation messages.

Rev. Jone Ledua - Pastor, Methodist Church: Soil and marine - they are created by God. So as members of the church, and me as a church minister, I emphasise to them, we have to protect the marine , if not God will ask you because we do not protect what God created to be part of our life.

Clement Paligaru: The gatherings also provide the communities with a chance to discuss the surveys they are now responsible for.

Female villager: It will help the people to know all the things about the fishing areas.

Sanivalati Navuku: It's facilitating traditional knowledge or gaps in traditional knowledge because information was orally transmitted from from one person to the other. It's not recorded.

Clement Paligaru: It's hoped some fishing will be allowed again in the future as fish stocks recover. How soon this happens will depend on the outcomes of the surveys.

Dr Stacy Jupiter: It's very important to get this information to help the communities make intelligent decisions about when and how often they can perhaps open their reserve boundaries to fish.

Clement Paligaru: But the communities aren't rushing to lift the bans. As they see more fish in the marine protected areas, they're making the most of stocks fish spilling over into areas where villagers are allowed to fish.

This is one of the traditional fishing grounds of Naduri village. Villagers tell me that after a good night or day's catch, they sometimes come back with up to 60 kilos of fish.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere: We have reached the level now where we are bearing the fruits of our conservation - that we don't have to go far to catch our food for the table, our daily foods, and for a little bit of selling for commercial.

Our biggest problem now is the poaching of our qoliqoli (fishing grounds).

Clement Paligaru: While most villages don't have fuel, even binoculars, to patrol their waters, the success of the marine protected areas depends on keeping the poachers out.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere: We approach them and check their licence within the specified areas of our boundary. And if their licence is not in our list, then that is caught right handed - a poacher.

Clement Paligaru: For the villagers of Macuata province, safeguarding marine resources is no longer just about protecting their patch of ocean. It's now also about renewal of community spirit.

Ratu Aisea Katonivere: People were losing their traditional ties with the other villages and society at large. But it was through this community effort, in having this marine protected area, it's really harnessed all allegiance within our community traditional setups.

Ratu Samuela Tuidravo: One change is that it's strengthened our traditional ties. It's good to work hand in hand with the community. Because I think one village alone can't do that. Because we are all in a family.So we have to work together to protect the fishing area.