Maritime pollution continues to be a challenge for sustainable healthy oceans.

These were the sentiments shared at the World Bank’s Future Pasifika panel discussion at the University of the South Pacific.

USP Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia says pollution, particularly plastics, herbicides, pesticides, heavy metals, petroleum products, and fertilizers are causing long term change in all ocean systems.

He says there needs to be more awareness about appropriate disposal as well as the collective effort for everyone to take more responsibility for their waste.

“We need to raise awareness of the responsible use and disposables of these as seas and oceans are not the right places for such items. It seriously distorts the ecosystems that surround us and impedes the reproductive capacity of sea lives.”

The VC made the comments whilst opening the World Banks Future Pasifika deliberations on Healthy Oceans.

Future Pasifika will be a series of discussions on key thematic areas in partnership with USP.