Fiji, Sept. 30 -- The Pacific must not stand aside while others make decisions about the future of the ocean, warned Dr Filimon Manoni, Commissioner of the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC), on the opening day of the Pacific Ocean Conference in Honiara.

Dr Manoni said the stakes were "too high" for Pacific states to treat ocean issues as secondary, reminding delegates that the Pacific voice must remain strong in global debates on conservation, climate, and sustainable management.

"The ocean agenda at the global level is paramount, because the stakes are too high for us to leave these things on the side and let others make decisions that will affect the future of your grandchildren and my grandchildren," he told participant...