Subsistence fishing and natural environment : mangroves in Vanuatu, their halieutic value

Abstract

Mangroves holds quite a unique position within the plant world. Consisting of salt-resistant trees they take up the space within the intertidal zone which corresponds to the shoreline covered by tides and thus represents the one and only instance of arborescent vegetation existing in a maritime environment. Theirs is a typical presence along the she res bordering warmer seas. Taking the latitude they do not extend beyond the 30th parallels to the north and south. In the inter-tropical zone they are estimated as covering 60% of the coastline and composed the climax until mankind started exploiting them. Today their surface area is estimated at scme 20 million hectares.