The Place
Niue is one of the largest elevated coral atolls in the world, surrounded by a fringing reef, and has been referred to as “the Rock of Polynesia,” for its unique geological structure.
Niue is located in the middle of the South Pacific within a triangle boundary of Tonga, American Samoa and the Cook Islands, about 1,300 miles northeast of New Zealand. Pristine Seas conducted its first expedition to Niue from September to October 2016 and returned to Niue in July 2023. Since 2015, Pristine Seas has worked extensively with the Government of Niue, the Niue Ocean Wide Trust and Sharks Pacific, to support conservation efforts to sustainably manage Niue’s waters.
The Mission
The Pristine Seas team was invited to revisit the island nation and conduct another comprehensive science survey to build on the original scientific survey that was conducted in 2016 and fill in data gaps to support ongoing management of the marine reserve and demonstrate Niue’s success.
Utilizing a portfolio of scientific methodologies, the team will conduct research and produce data that will support Niue’s marine spatial management plan for its completely protected EEZ. The research and data was used to develop a scientific paper with the expedition’s results and subsequently provided to the Government of Niue. Notably, the team had the opportunity to re-study Beveridge Reef and provide a deeper understanding of its marine environment by conducting a deep-sea survey including seamounts and ridges. The research team conducted the first-known submersible deployment in Beveridge Reef.
The Result
In September 2023, Niue launched a sustainable funding initiative, the first-of-its kind, that invites individuals and institutions the opportunity to sponsor its marine sanctuary. By paying a one-time fee, one can sponsor a square kilometer of the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area. This MPA is 40% of Niue’s waters and is 127,000 square kilometers.