The second Pacific Islands Ocean Conference 2025 is underway in Honiara this week.
It was officially opened on Monday, bringing together around 350 participants from across the region to strengthen collaboration on sustainable ocean governance.
The conference which runs from Monday to Friday is convened by the Pacific Community (SPC) through its Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS), in partnership with the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The event serves as a key regional platform to share research, traditional knowledge, and policy insights, while building stronger linkages between science and policy to advance effective ocean management.
It also supports the implementation of the UN Ocean Decade under the Blue Pacific Continent framework.
The conference is supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the European Union (EU), and the U.S. Department of State.
Speaking at the opening ceremony at the Heritage Park Hotel, the Minister of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs and Supervising Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. John Tuhaika Junior, highlighted the importance of uniting science, policy, and traditional knowledge.
“The Pacific is showing the world how different ways of knowing can work together to create solutions that are practical, respectful and sustainable,” he said.
Minister Tuhaika Junior outlined three key reasons why the conference is significant:
- It unites science, policy, and traditional knowledge, offering a holistic approach to ocean stewardship;
- It aligns Pacific priorities with global ocean agendas, following major international events such as the UN Ocean Conference and the Honiara Summit;
- It amplifies community voices, particularly youth and early-career ocean professionals, ensuring decision-making is inclusive and bottom-up.
“The bottom line is this conference strengthens our collective Pacific voice and ensures that the Blue Pacific is shaping the global ocean agenda—not just reacting to it,” he added.
Minister Tuhaika Junior also stressed the urgency of addressing threats to the Pacific Ocean, which makes up 98% of the region’s geography and includes nearly a third of the world’s exclusive economic zones and over 50% of the global human catch.
“Our ocean is under immense stress. Climate change, sea level rise, pollution and biodiversity loss are not distant threats—they are our daily reality,” he said.
He emphasized that for Pacific peoples, the health of the ocean directly reflects the well-being of their societies, economies, and future generations.
The conference also serves as a platform to take stock of global commitments, share regional success stories, and advance efforts toward 100% effective ocean management of the Blue Pacific.
“This gathering is not only about discussion, but also about aligning knowledge, culture, and policy into collective action,” said Minister Tuhaika Junior.
Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director General Noan Pakop also addressed the gathering on behalf of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) and Pacific Ocean Commissioner Dr Filimon Manoni.
The conference follows previous ocean-focused regional dialogues and is a continuation of the Pacific’s leadership in integrated ocean science and management.
It builds on the inaugural Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Ocean Management, held in Nadi, Fiji in September 2023.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
