From the Tongan Ministry of Fisheries website:

Under the Fisheries Management Act 2002, Coastal Communities can be granted Special Management Areas (SMAs), for the purpose of community-based fisheries management in their coastal areas. This has been driven by the general concern of declining coastal fisheries resources which communities significantly rely on for food and income.

SMA communities therefore take the leading role in managing their coastal fisheries resources with assistance from the Fisheries Division. Coastal community management committees (CCMCs) and coastal community management plans (CCMPs) are developed to assist in their management role. Key management objectives in their CCMPs include controlling fishing activities, restoring fish stock and habitat in no-fishing areas (Fish Habitat Reserves (FHRs)), raising community awareness on fisheries conservation and management, promoting sustainable fishing practices and improving living standards in the community. The Fisheries (Coastal Communities) Regulations 2009 were also gazetted to assist in the implementation of their CCMPs and to complement existing fisheries legislation for enforcement within SMAs.

It is their community vision and goal that their SMAs and management efforts will help revive the health and status of their coastal fisheries resources for current and future generations.