A Pacific youth representative says her generation will be the region's leaders in efforts to reverse the decline of the ocean.
Pacific Ocean, Cook Islands Photo: RNZI
A United Nations regional meeting has just concluded in New Caledonia with the aim of providing Pacific solutions to the issue of ocean conservation.
It was the first of a series of nine global workshops which will feed into the UN's so-called 'Decade of the Ocean.'
The Pacific Youth Council's Tyler-Rae Chung said the coming decade provides the region's youth the opportunity to make bold decisions for the future.
Ms Chung said the upcoming generation of scientists need to start thinking about the future they want for their ocean.
"And I'm looking forward to seeing more young people being able to push forward and to going back into our nations and in our little pockets of communities and just talking up, talking about the decade before it actually happens and how they can be involved."