HONIARA, Solomon Islands, October 3 (IPS) – In the packed conference hall of the Heritage Hotel, the sound of Pacific voices filled the air—not just through speeches, but in song, rhythm, and poetry. The Dreamcast Theatre Performing Arts group opened the Second Pacific Island Ocean Conference with an evocative performance, reminding leaders and practitioners why they had gathered: to listen. To listen to science. To listen to communities. To listen to the ocean itself.
The message resounded throughout the five-day meeting: protecting the Pacific Ocean demands a united approach that bridges traditional knowledge and modern science, grounding policy in the lived experiences of Pacific peoples.
“We all need to come together and look at a comprehensive, robust framework that would allow the different sectors to coordinate activities, and to work together in terms of what we need to do in order to protect the ocean, our resources for the development and nation-building aspirations,” said Dr. Filimon Manoni, Commissioner for the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC)[1].
Communities Speak
Unlike many international conferences dominated by policy language and scientific jargon, this gathering centered Pacific communities. Chiefs, fishers, youth leaders, and conservation practitioners spoke candidly about the challenges they face — from vanishing fish stocks to coastal erosion — and urged governments and scientists not only to listen but to act.
For Leausalilo Leilani Duffy of Conservation International Samoa[2], whose work focuses on safeguarding biodiversity through community-based conservation, this is not new territory.
“When we talk about weaving traditional knowledge into science, we have already been doing the weaving,” she said. “We just need to expand more on it and showcase to the world how Pacific nations have always been integrated.”
Duffy stressed that while political battles may divide leaders in parliaments, the environment remains a unifying force across the region.
“As Pacific Islanders we do not have the luxury like big countries. We are small land bases in big ocean states. If we don’t manage our oceans sustainably in the way that we always have, the ocean will consume us.”
Ocean as Genealogy
For Pacific peoples, the ocean is not simply geography—it is genealogy. It is history, livelihood, identity, and faith. Centuries before satellites and supercomputers, Pacific navigators read the stars, swells, and winds to traverse thousands of miles of open sea. This heritage still shapes today’s communities.
As climate change accelerates, with rising seas and stronger storms battering islands, Pacific leaders see this oceanic wisdom not as folklore but as a vital resource for resilience.
“It is the same thing, we just use a different language to talk about the same thing,” explained Dr. Salanieta Kitolelei, who studies the integration of Indigenous knowledge and marine species relationships.
She pointed to coral restoration projects in Fiji where scientists and villagers work side by side, transplanting corals from warmer to cooler areas to replace dying reefs.
Traditional Knowledge as Data
Scientific leaders at the conference acknowledged the irreplaceable value of traditional knowledge. Jerome Aucan, Head of the Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science[3], described how it often fills the gaps where data is missing.
“When we look at early warning systems and prediction of high sea levels during storms or cyclones, we make predictions by being informed by the past,” he said.
But in many cases, instrument data does not exist. Instead, communities rely on memory.
“The only data we have is the elders’ knowledge of what happened that day. In some of those extreme events, elders have a vivid memory—where the water went, how high the waves reached, and what damage was done. Some of this knowledge goes back 30, 40, or even 60 years. We use that knowledge to reconstruct past storms so we can improve the way we predict future ones.”
This, Aucan added, is not anecdote—it is evidence. And it is indispensable.
The Pacific’s Own Science
Dr. Katy Soapi of the Pacific Community (SPC)[4] put it simply, “The Pacific has always been home to its own science. Our traditional systems of observing ocean health are sophisticated. When combined with new tools—like satellite mapping or genetic studies of reefs—we create powerful, holistic approaches to protect our shared ocean.”
That integration is now reflected in regional ocean governance. OPOC, tasked with coordinating ocean priorities across the region, is pushing to embed both traditional knowledge and modern science into decision-making frameworks.
“We cannot afford to treat Indigenous knowledge as anecdotal,” said Manoni. “It is evidence, tested and lived for generations. Science and tradition together give us the most complete picture of how to manage our ocean.”
Lessons from Fisheries
One of the most striking examples of this synergy comes from fisheries management. Dr. Noan Pakop, Director General of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA)[5], highlighted how community practices have influenced modern policy.
“Our communities have long used tabu areas—closing off reefs to allow fish to regenerate,” he said.
“These practices mirror modern conservation methods. By combining local observations with scientific stock data, we’ve built stronger, more sustainable tuna management systems that benefit all Pacific nations.”
Yet, challenges remain. In global negotiations on climate, biodiversity, and ocean governance, Western science still tends to dominate the room. Pacific leaders at the conference called for more equitable recognition of their knowledge systems.
A Shared Model for the World
It is clear that the conference shares a collective vision: a Pacific that protects 100 percent of its ocean and sustainably manages at least 30 percent, in line with global biodiversity targets. But leaders insisted that the path must be uniquely Pacific—rooted in community, culture, and connection.
This is more than conservation. It is survival. Rising seas are already swallowing coastlines. Warming waters threaten fisheries and food security. Cyclones are intensifying. For small island nations, the stakes could not be higher.
But as this week’s gathering in Honiara shows, the Pacific is not a victim narrative. It is a leadership story.
From coral transplanting in Fijian villages to elders’ storm memories shaping predictive models to tuna management blending tabu with satellite data and Geospatial imagery—the Pacific is charting a course where ancient wisdom and modern science sail together.
The world is watching. And, as Leilani Duffy reminded delegates, the Pacific’s greatest gift is showing that respect for the ocean is not a new agenda—it is who Pacific peoples are.
“Conservation is not something we imported. It has always been part of our lives. The challenge now is to make sure the world listens to what we already know.”
As the conference hall in Honiara slowly came to a close, that call to listen lingered—a reminder that protecting the ocean is not just about policies and frameworks. It is about stories, memories, and the wisdom of the people whose very genealogy is written in the waves.
IPS UN Bureau Report
© Inter Press Service (20251003053734) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service[6]
References
- ^ Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC) (opocbluepacific.org)
- ^ Conservation International Samoa (www.conservation.org)
- ^ Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (www.spc.int)
- ^ Pacific Community (SPC) (www.spc.int)
- ^ Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) (www.ffa.int)
- ^ Original source: Inter Press Service (www.ipsnews.net)
- ^ Weaving Wisdom and Science: Pacific Voices Call for Ocean Protection (www.globalissues.org)
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- ^ Weaving Wisdom and Science: Pacific Voices Call for Ocean Protection (www.globalissues.org)