Fiji’s ocean is under mounting pressure from climate change, marine pollution, and biodiversity loss, and the government is taking action to reverse the trend through a new national strategy.
Speaking during the opening of the three-day finalisation workshop for the Blue Economy Framework 2025–2030 at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat today, Minister for Environment Mosese Bulitavu says the framework will redefine how Fiji views and uses its marine resources.
Bulitavu says the framework envisions an ocean economy that is resilient, inclusive, and sustainable, one where growth is not pursued at the cost of ecological integrity.
Bulitavu also warned that the country’s 2024 Ocean Health Index score of 62 out of 100, which falls below the global average of 69, is a “warning signal” that Fiji’s marine ecosystems and industries are under strain.
Bulitavu says the Blue Economy Framework aligns with Fiji’s National Ocean Policy, the Climate Change Act 2021, and international commitments such as the Paris Agreement and the High-Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy.
He says it advances Fiji’s pledge to protect 30 percent of its marine areas by 2030, and sustainably manage 100 percent of its ocean space.
