Fiji expedition ends with urgent call for marine conservation: ‘The ocean is waiting’

National Geographic Pristine Seas (NGPS) has completed the final leg of its Fiji expedition, wrapping up two months of research across reefs, lagoons, and deep sea habitats.

The wider Pacific mission began earlier this year in Tuvalu and Fiji’s remote northern island, Rotuma, before the team launched from Suva in July. The team first conducted nearshore surveys in Kadavu, and then headed north for offshore research in the Yasawas and Great Sea Reef, concluding in the Ringgolds, a small archipelago in Fiji’s northeast.

Using submersible dives, seabed cameras, and community-led knowledge, the team mapped various marine ecosystems - reefs, lagoons and offshore habitats - while engaging educators and local villagers through ship days and summits.

The team faced strong winds and swells offshore, but they still managed to deploy cameras daily, carry out pelagic surveys and even launch their submersible whenever the weather permitted. Expedition leader Kelly Moore says the deep-sea portion was “a thrilling journey”.

“We covered many nautical miles between Yasawas, Great Sea Reef and the Ringgolds. Even though the weather conditions continued to bring strong winds and moderate swells throughout our time in the offshore areas, we still managed daily drop cams, pelagic surveys, and even a sub dive when weather allowed,” Moore says.

“When I joined Pristine Seas’ expedition to survey Fiji’s waters, I expected my days to revolve around science: deploying cameras, collecting biodiversity data, and navigating unpredictable weather.

“While we did all of that, the most powerful experiences I carry from this expedition are not only about fish counts or coral cover. They are about people, leadership, and hope.”

An aerial view of a reef near Kadavu in Fiji. Photo/National Geographic Pristine Seas/Caitlin Bailey

The team recorded an impressive array of data during their expedition: 178 scuba surveys, 120 pelagic camera deployments, 88 seabed camera drops, 28 deep sea camera deployments, 12 submersible dives, and 21 environmental DNA samples. Birdlife was also measured through 84 separate surveys.

Their work revealed a rich diversity of life. In the Ringgolds, the submersible opened “a bold new underwater world”, capturing footage of green turtles, gulper sharks, and shrimp at depth.

Moore says land-based encounters were equally important. In villages visited during the expedition, Fijians described how traditional fishing, which once easily sustained families, is now threatened by climate change, pollution, coastal development, and declining reef health.

National Geographic Pristine Seas film-maker Teresa Carante films a sevusevu ceremony in Kadavu, Fiji. Sevusevu is a traditional protocol in Fiji where visitors present a gift to the village chief to gain permission to enter the village's land and waters. Photo/National Geographic Pristine Seas/Caitlin Bailey

Despite these worries, NGPS points out that the community's resilience remains strong. Communities are working to combine traditional knowledge with partners such as Blue Prosperity Fiji, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The data and footage collected will be compiled into a final report for the Fiji government in 2026. The goal is to help inform marine spatial planning and ensure the protection of identified reefs, lagoons, and offshore ecosystems.

“The communities are ready. The ocean is waiting. And together, there is every reason to believe in a hopeful future,” Moore says.