The vast waters surrounding Fiji are home to some of the richest marine biodiversity in the Pacific, and a team of scientists is working to better understand and protect it.
The National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition, led by Kelly Moore, has been charting new ground in Kadavu and further offshore, documenting ecosystems that remain largely unexplored.
In an interview with PMN News, Moore said the team had just wrapped up surveys in Kadavu and the Yasawa Group.
The work, she explained, is part of a broader mission to provide scientific data that will support Fiji’s marine conservation plans.
“We’ve all got our sea legs on by now,” she said with a laugh.
“We’re actively surveying and engaging in deep-sea research.
Next, we’ll spend about a week working around the Cakau Levu, the Great Sea Reef, which is hugely significant to Fiji.”
Unseen species and new questions
Kadavu’s reefs have long been considered among the Pacific’s most vibrant, and the team’s surveys there confirmed just how diverse the marine life is.
While Moore stopped short of declaring the discovery of new species, she said the expedition recorded fish and coral that raised fresh questions.
“Sometimes we come across things we can’t immediately identify,” she explained.
“That’s when the conversations start with other experts in the Pacific region. It could be a new species, or it could simply be a species extending its range into Fiji. Either way, it’s exciting.”
For the communities of Kadavu, the findings are not just of scientific interest.
The expedition made a point of diving in lagoons, passages, and fringing reefs adjacent to villages, where local elders had asked them to investigate changes they were noticing.
“It was rewarding to provide that information back directly to the communities,” Moore said.
“They shared their concerns about declining fish numbers and shifting species. For us, those conversations were inspiring and they reminded us that the future of the ocean is something people are still deeply hopeful about.”
Filling knowledge gaps
The research is not being carried out in isolation.
Moore emphasised that the choice of survey sites was shaped by consultations with the Fijian government, local partners, and community leaders.
The Kadavu reefs and offshore areas like the Great Sea Reef were identified as priority sites where little baseline data exists, but where conservation interest is high.
“The aim is to fill those knowledge gaps,” she said.
“The data we gather will feed directly into Fiji’s marine spatial planning, helping the government and communities decide where protection will be most effective.”
Into the deep
If nearshore dives in Kadavu focused on reefs and lagoons, the offshore phase is pushing into largely uncharted territory.
The team is deploying advanced technology to study deep-sea life, from baited remote cameras that capture sharks and rays near the surface to environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling that detects microscopic traces of marine species.
“These methods let us capture a broader picture of what’s there,” Moore explained.
“We’ve seen six-gilled sharks, hammerheads, and deep-sea creatures like chimaeras and snailfish. Some species we haven’t yet identified, but the footage and data will be invaluable.”
The cameras, some capable of reaching depths of 6000 metres, are left overnight to record life in the darkness.
Early results, Moore said, have been “thrilling”.
Giving back to communities
Beyond the science, the expedition carries a commitment to reciprocity.
Moore highlighted the warmth of the welcome her team received in Kadavu and the generosity of communities that shared both concerns and hopes for their marine environment.
“Kadavu will always hold a special place for us,” she said.
“We look forward to returning in about a year’s time with the data we’ve collected and with a documentary film that will showcase their reefs and their stewardship.
“It’s our way of giving something back.”
For now, the expedition presses on into Fiji’s offshore waters, uncovering secrets of the deep that will one day shape the nation’s conservation strategies.
Science divers Emma Cebrian, Jenn Caselle, Alyssa Adler, and Jone Tamanitoakula with Argo crewmember Merlin huddle together before a dive.
Picture: NAT GEO PRISTINE SEAS
Aerial view of the Astrolabe Reef facing southwest. Picture: NAT GEO PRISTINE SEAS
Moray eel in the Ravitaki Passage, Kadavu. Picture: NAT GEO PRISTINE SEAS