PORT MORESBY, July 19, 2024—A new study of Papua New Guinea’s ocean begins this week, as scientists use cutting-edge technology to assess the water’s health and support the country’s conservation efforts. Gathering data from locally protected marine areas and previously unexplored marine ecosystems, the team of local and international scientists, including from WCS, is shedding light on one of the most biodiverse oceans on the planet. 

"Papua New Guinea lies in the Coral Triangle, the most biologically diverse place in the ocean, and is home to more than 2,000 species of fishes as well as a number of species that are found nowhere else on earth,” said Dr. Alan Friedlander, lead scientist for National Geographic Pristine Seas’ expedition. “Our assessment will provide a thorough understanding of the places we explore, helping to inform management and protection of the country’s unique marine environment.”

The three-month expedition is a partnership between National Geographic Pristine Seas, Papua New Guinea’s Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The team is studying the ocean in New Ireland Province and Manus Province—both of which boast stunning beauty and unique marine life.

“New Ireland Province has some of the most important key biodiversity areas in all of Papua New Guinea,” said July Kuri, WCS Papua New Guinea’s Community Engagement Officer, one of two local WCS staff members joining the Pristine Seas expedition. “These are very remote places where we see aggregations of species like manta rays and massive coral reefs, and we look forward to the expedition crew meeting the community custodians of these seas.”

In November 2023, Papua New Guinea tripled its ocean protections by announcing nearly 17,000 km2 of provincially protected MPAs in its Lovongai and Murat jurisdictions of New Ireland Province. Brought into being through the collaboration and will of local communities, the project involved more than 9,000 people from 100+ Indigenous communities—and were the first MPAs in the world with measures designed to protect the most threatened groups of sharks and rays. To build on this success, WCS and the Pristine Seas expedition team eagerly look forward to the new MPAs being listed at the national level.

"WCS has been proud to support the collective efforts of local communities and the government in New Ireland Province to manage coastal waters critical for threatened biodiversity and local food security and livelihoods," said Dr. Stacy Jupiter, Executive Director of WCS's Global Marine Conservation Program. "We are eager for the results of the expedition to be used to better manage these new MPAs, as well as inform new opportunities for marine conservation in Papua New Guinea."

Papua New Guinea’s ocean is critically important partly because of its coral reefs, which contribute benefits to local communities and help marine life thrive. Its waters host more than 600 hard coral species and the greatest concentration of clownfish diversity in the world. Charismatic marine species found in Papua New Guinea include dugongs, sawfish and other sharks and rays, sperm whales, green turtles, leatherback turtles, humphead wrasse, bumphead parrotfish, a variety of seabirds, and more. Scientists on the expedition will get a closer look at this unique ecosystem and share findings with community members and leaders. 

“A healthy ocean provides everything from the oxygen we breathe and moments of wonder to jobs and food for people who depend on it,” said Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Executive Director of Pristine Seas. “Papua New Guinea’s waters are distinctive, in that they provide a home for a stunning array of marine life. We are thrilled to study its ocean, at the invitation of the government, and are hopeful that our science will inform further marine protections for the benefit of all.”

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