United Kingdom partners with Conservation International and Pacific Ocean Commissioner to strengthen ocean governance

Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative to support Fiji and Samoa with their ocean management strategies and build regional readiness for the UN’s High Seas Treaty.

SUVA, Fiji (Sept. 19, 2025) – The British High Commission in Fiji has joined forces with Conservation International and the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC) to launch the Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative, a partnership that will strengthen marine governance, community-led monitoring, and sustainable financing across the region.

With financial support from the UK government through its flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme, the initiative will help Pacific governments and communities prepare for the implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement. Also known as the High Seas Treaty, this landmark UN agreement commits countries to protect marine life in international waters that lie beyond any national jurisdiction, a critical step to strengthen regulation.

This project will also contribute to the global commitment to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 (30x30), and advance national priorities including Fiji’s Lau Seascape Strategy and the Samoa Ocean Strategy.

Dr. Filimon Manoni, Pacific Ocean Commissioner said, “This partnership provides the resources our region needs to scale up technical capacity towards the ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, financing, and inclusive governance to manage pressures at the scale required. By strengthening capacity at both community and regional levels, we are able to foster regional cooperation and therefore advance the resilience and stewardship our Blue Pacific Continent depends upon.”

The initiative will also deliver practical outcomes: readiness workshops and technical assessments to support Pacific governments under the BBNJ Agreement; regional citizen science guidelines co-developed with the University of Samoa; and support design of sustainable financing to ensure long-term protection of Pacific waters.

“The Pacific Islands contribute the least to the climate crisis, yet are among the first to face its impacts,” said Conservation International’s Pacific Islands Vice President Susana Waqainabete-Tuisese. “This initiative provides tools, financing, and partnerships that empower communities to protect the ocean that sustains their food security, culture, and livelihoods.”

“As a proud maritime nation, the UK shares the same passion for the ocean as our Pacific partners. That is why the UK government is proud to stand alongside our partners in the Pacific to safeguard the ocean and protect biodiversity for generations to come,’ said British High Commissioner to Fiji, Kanbar Hossein-Bor.

‘The UK has played a leading role in shaping the High Seas Treaty over more than a decade of negotiations, and we know that it takes work to turn this commitment into action. That is why we are investing in partnerships that are locally led and can lay the vital groundwork needed to deliver.”

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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work on ConservationNews, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About The Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC): OPOC operates within the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat to support the Pacific Ocean Commissioner in advocating for regional ocean interests, supporting regional advocacy and coordination on ocean governance. OPOC facilitates the Pacific Ocean Alliance (POA), engages with civil society and private sector stakeholders, and works closely with CROP agencies and development partners to advance the Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape (FPO) and Pacific Islands Regional Ocean Policy (PIROP) priorities.

About UK International Development: This project is supported by the UK government through its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Funding for the Sustainable Blue Pacific Initiative is delivered through Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA), the UK’s flagship regional programme to build climate resilience in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific islands.