Fiji’s Largest Nationwide Assessment of Coral Reefs
The largest nationwide assessment of Fiji’s coral reefs involving 9 weeks of dive surveys took place in 2023. Divers studied coral reef habitats at 272 locations across the country and encountered almost 500 different species of fish, highlighting Fiji’s rich and diverse marine life.
The collaborative expedition was led by the Government of Fiji, with guidance from the Office of the Prime Minister through the Department of Environment and the Climate Change Division, Ministry of Fisheries, and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, working in close collaboration with universities and non-governmental organizations.
The expedition began with community consultations to over 100 qoliqoli owners and communities to request permission to survey their waters.
Throughout the expedition, teams of divers collected information on coral reef health, fish and macroinvertebrates, and water quality. Teams also placed 88 temperature loggers across Fiji to better track ocean temperatures through time.Though the data collected will not provide a stock assessment for any specific marine species or resource, the data will provide holistic information about Fiji's current coral reef health. This science expedition is part of the Blue Prosperity Fiji program, a partnership between the Government of Fiji and the Waitt Institute to support 100% sustainable ocean management and fully protect at least 30% of Fiji’s waters. Information collected will help inform future ocean planning efforts and research.
Organizations included in the planning and execution of the project:
- University of the South Pacific (USP) Institute of Applied Sciences,
- World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF),
- Conservation International (CI),
- the Pacific Community (SPC),
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS),
- Uto Ni Yalo (UNY), Pacific Blue Foundation (PBF),
- Centre for Island Research and Environmental Observatory (CRIOBE),
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and
- the Waitt Institute.
Click on the image below to see more photos from the expedition, all taken by Joe Lepore, Waitt Institute.
