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Leaders Promise to Connect Underwater Wilderness through a Corridor of Ocean Reserves Across Melanesia
The novel Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves will protect marine life, coral reefs and local economies; Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji have already announced their intention to establish two new marine protected areas (MPAs) as part of the new effort
Vanuatu underwater scene at Tongoa, with sea fans and reef fish.
Ollie Velasco, National Geographic Pristine Seas
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (May 13, 2026) —At the first-ever Melanesian Ocean Summit, a regional gathering of leaders from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Vanuatu as well as representatives of other countries from the wider Pacific, three countries announced their plans to protect large swathes of ocean “to secure a resilient, sustainable, and prosperous blue continent.”
“Together, we stand as custodians of the Pacific Ocean — united for our people, our environment, and our future,” said James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and host of the summit. “This is all about saving our ocean because our ocean saves humanity. Ocean is our supermarket. Ocean is our highway. Ocean is our livelihood. Ocean is us.”
In the declaration establishing the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR), Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu assert that their goal is “to forge a unified Melanesian front in ocean governance, targeting the absolute protection of our fragile marine ecosystems while empowering the cultural and economic livelihoods of our coastal communities.” The governments involved seek to secure the livelihoods of local communities who rely on fish for their incomes and food security, while also contributing to the global goal to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
“The initiative represents a bold and timely step forward, recognising that our oceans do not end at national boundaries, and that our stewardship responsibilities must therefore extend across them,” said Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka when announcing the new corridor at the summit. “MOCOR is more than a conservation initiative. It is a platform for Melanesian integration — aligning efforts in ocean governance, strengthening cooperation in monitoring and enforcement, advancing science and research, supporting climate resilience, and unlocking new opportunities in sustainable blue economies.”
Following the MOCOR announcement, Papua New Guinea (PNG) announced its intention to establish the Western Manus Marine Protected Area, conserving roughly 200,000 km² of Pacific Ocean waters — an area nearly the size of the United Kingdom. Vanuatu announced its intention to fully protect about 70,000 km² in the Torba National Marine Protected Area, an area the size of Ireland. And Fiji committed to protect 15% of their exclusive economic zone by the end of 2026 to put them on track to achieving their goal of protecting 30% by 2030.
The Western Manus Marine Protected Area is designed to safeguard one of the most biologically rich and least explored ocean regions on Earth — all while ensuring that coastal communities have plentiful fish for generations to come.
“Papua New Guinea is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet,” remarked Jelta Wong, minister of the country’s National Fisheries Authority. “Establishing the Western Manus Marine Protected Area will allow us to preserve and protect our ecological legacy and, at the same time, ensure that our ocean continues to provide people with what we need — food and a source of income.”
Marked by underwater mountains, ridges and canyons — which create a “marine highway” connecting the shallows to the deep — the planned sanctuary will support a stunning array of marine life, including endangered species. Seabirds, shorebirds, sharks , marine mammals and deep-sea creatures all call the region home. Much of the deep-sea realm set to be protected remains unexplored, making the sanctuary a hotspot for the discovery of new species.
A proposed Marine Protected Area in Vanuatu is designed to safeguard waters near Torba, the northernmost and least populated province of Vanuatu. The nation’s ocean holds some of the most extraordinary marine biodiversity in the Pacific — from volcanic seascapes and vibrant coral reefs to deep sea creatures yet to be documented
“We are not sacrificing our ocean to save it. We are choosing protection over extraction, and the long memory of our ancestors over the short interests of others,” said Jotham Napat, Prime Minister of Vanuatu. “When future generations look back at this moment, let them say that this was the time when Melanesian leaders chose courage over convenience. When we stood united for the protection of our ocean, our culture, and our identity. Let our ocean be not a story of decline, but a story of resilience.”
The MOCOR announcement also calls for the establishment of a biannual regional summit to assess progress on the declaration, a science panel to inform and guide its decisions around ocean protection; and a fund to support the costs of establishing and monitoring MPAs.
“With this bold new initiative, the leaders of Melanesia are committing to protect 30% of one of the most biodiverse and important marine environments on the planet,” remarked Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas. “They understand that a healthy ocean is the essential foundation for prosperous societies and economies. This is a powerful message to the rest of the world that protecting the ocean is good business.”
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About National Geographic Pristine Seas (2026)
National Geographic Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments, and other partners to protect vital places in the ocean through research, policy, and filmmaking. Since 2008, Pristine Seas has helped establish 31 marine protected areas, spanning more than 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean.
Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. Our mission is driven by science and filmmaking — we are fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.
The work of Pristine Seas is made possible through the generous support of the Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Campbell Foundation for the Environment, Disney, Don Quixote Foundation, The Aaron And Catie Enrico Family Foundation, Google, LGT Venture Philanthropy, Lindblad Expeditions – National Geographic Fund, Minderoo Foundation, Oracle, Philip Stephenson Foundation, Postcode Lottery Group, Rituals, Tanka Foundation, Ted and Michele Waitt–TTMMC Fund, UBS Optimus Foundation, an anonymous donor, Renwick Family and other individual donors.
About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
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