Scientists embark on expedition to study Tokelau's unexplored underwater world
By Pacific Island Times News Staff
"Master fishermen of the ocean, remember the sustenance of the people.” This line from a Tokelauan song captures the islanders’ relationship to the ocean, which represents their identity and steers their blue economy.
“The ocean sustains our livelihoods, nourishes our families and underpins our food security through the resources harvested from our lagoon and the vast Pacific Ocean,” said Paula Faiva, director of the Ministry of Climate, Oceans and Resilience.
“It is our pathway between our atolls and outer islets, connecting our communities and linking us to the wider world,” he added.
Its reliance on the bounty of the ocean drives Tokelau’s push for conservation and marine protection. Though small in landmass with three atolls making up the island chain, Tokelau is known as a powerhouse of sustainable ocean management and economic resilience.
“Tokelau’s commitment to ocean conservation is an inspiration and we’re honored to support its vision for future marine management,” said Kelly Moore, a marine ecologist.
This week, National Geographic Pristine Seas begins an expedition in Tokelau to survey biodiversity in reef, mid-ocean and deepwater sites and collect data to support the nation’s ongoing conservation efforts.
At the invitation of Tokelau’s government and in partnership with its Ministry of Climate, Ocean and Resilience, the team of scientists and filmmakers will study the nation’s marine ecosystems to identify vital areas for protection and guide the development of a future National Ocean Policy and marine spatial plan.
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“We hope our efforts studying the stunning waters near Nukunonu, Atafu and Fafaofo will provide leaders and communities with information they need to continue prospering from and protecting the sea,” said Moore, who heads the expedition.
Tokelau is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand with an estimated population of 2,700 and a gross domestic product of NZD2.4 million or $1.37 million.
It is subsistence-based economy heavily reliant on fishing, agriculture, handicrafts, remittances and support from New Zealand.
Tokelau has a combined land area of roughly 12 square kilometers. Its ocean territory, spanning about 319,000 square kilometers, makes its exclusive economic zone over 25,000 times larger than its total land area.
In 2011, the territory declared its entire marine zone a shark sanctuary, demonstrating its profound commitment to ocean conservation.
The nation’s lagoons host giant clams with vivid neon-blue and green mantles, endangered green and hawksbill sea turtles, and blacktip reef sharks.
Its open ocean serves as a migratory corridor for whale sharks. And the enormous and endangered hump head wrasses still call the steep outer reef drop-offs home.
The team of local and international experts will live and work aboard Pristine Seas’ ship, the Argo, to gather information from the depths of the sea floor to the skies above.
Scientists will survey marine life while scuba diving, drop deep sea cameras to collect overnight footage, float video systems ten meters below the surface to document the marine life swimming by and assess bird life above the waves.
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Strapped inside Pristine Seas’ state-of-the-art submersible, the Argonauta, expedition team members will plunge into the depths off Tokelau’s coast to observe first-hand the “twilight zone,” a frontier of deep-sea biodiversity teeming with marine life.
“The underwater realm surrounding Tokelau is virtually unexplored by scientists. Every dive, water sample and film clip brings us closer to documenting and understanding their marine environment,” said Molly Timmers, Pristine Seas’ research lead for the expedition to Tokelau.
Kevin Chand, senior director of Pacific Ocean Policy for Pristine Seas, said the expedition will wind up before the next global biodiversity conference, where the world will evaluate progress on the Global Biodiversity Framework.
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