In 1986 and 1987 Fisheries Division maintained a number of off-bottom trial plots at six sites inside the eastern arm of the lagoon and at the lagoon entrance. It was reported that all the plants were lost to disease at the end of 1987 (Fa'anunu 1989). However, some plant fragments obviously survived and continued to grow and fragment in lagoon channels in the following twelve years. Plants continue to appear washed up in the Nukuleka drift, and in eastern bays of the lagoon. There is, therefore, a well acclimatised ‘wild’ stock, which can be used as ‘seed’ cuttings for commercial family farms. It is also significant that Fisheries Division reported “no indication of rabbit fish grazing” during the two January periods that trials were being monitored.
It is recommended that farming workshops be undertaken at Nukuleka village to provide advice and assistance to those families interested in starting small off-bottom farms adjacent to the Nukuleka shoreline. The monitoring of family run units will provide better and more valuable data on commercial viability than more Government run growth trials. The recommended area to initiate trial commercial production is on the eastern side of the lagoon entrance, as shown in Figure 8. Cottonii may well grow at commercially viable rates further inside the lagoon, particularly in lagoon channels. However, any farms inside the lagoon, whether off-bottom or floating, will be more prone to losses from die-back caused by lower salinities during periods of heavy rain.
If individual family yields at Nukuleka provide an attractive source of cash income, then advice and assistance can be organised through workshops at other villages (Makauroa and Talafo'ou) at the lagoon entrance. Just outside the lagoon entrance, the northeast facing shore around to the village of Navutoka has moat areas inside the reef where there is sufficient water at low tide for off-bottom farming. This area is more wave-exposed than Nukuleka and hence storm losses may impact on commercial viability.
The recommended method for off-bottom farm construction is given in Figure 9. The four kilometres of coastline from Nukuleka to Navutoka has the potential to accommodate more than 100 family farms of varying sizes, and all within walking distance from the shore.
