Warming seas may imperil Pacific reef fish

A Pacific environmentalist says temperature rise could leave equatorial Pacific countries without their main protein source.

Taholo Kami is calling for more research into how much temperature change reef fish species can sustain.

Fiji's former Special Oceans Representative says it is known that coral reefs are imperilled by a warming ocean but little is known about the impact on reef fish.

Mr Kami is a guest at a UN conference on the oceans in New Caledonia.

He spoke with Dominic Godfrey at the Pacific Community headquarters about progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goal regarding ocean conservation.

Dominic Godfrey travelled to New Caledonia through the Pacific Community's Australian funded Climate and Ocean Support Program in the Pacific.