Deep-sea mining and nuclear waste dumping are two of the major challenges facing the Pacific Ocean.

While speaking to FBC News, Pacific Network on Globalization, Oceans Campaigner, Laisa Nainoka says that ocean preservation is vital for the future generation.

She emphasizes the importance of companies not compromising people’s livelihoods for economic gain.

Nainoka says that oceans have always been under threat as they are always used as testing grounds.

“By protecting our ocean, we are simply protecting our own heritage, our own common heritage, and not only for us today but also for future generations and the generations after that. So ocean protection is, yes, very important for the reasons that I’ve already mentioned.”

She adds that to advocate for ocean protection in the country, the organization is working with its relevant stakeholders.

The Pacific Islands Association of NGO’s Executive Director, Emeline Ilolahia says that there is a need to ensure a balance between ocean preservation and economic anticipation.

“One of the things that we are quite mindful of is the fact that we should not compromise the livelihood of the people with the economic interests of companies that are looking at the opportunity to extract the deep ocean and the minerals just because of the economic gain that they anticipated.”

She adds that efforts in ocean preservation is important not only for marine biodiversity but also for sustaining fisheries, coastal communities, and global climate regulation.