Micronesia Sun Bright News from the Deep Pacific
Photo Sources: Office of the President, Republic of the Marshall Islands
By Christopher Cottrell
June 11, 2026, Federated States of Micronesia___ National Geographic Pristine Seas took Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine into the depths of her islands coral reefs aboard their submarine Argonaut as part of World Oceans Day this week.
The president, “gained a rare firsthand perspective on the deep-sea ecosystems that are among the Marshall Islands’ ongoing areas of focus in conservation efforts. The dive took place on the oceanside of Ajokla, Majuro following President Heine’s return from the Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo, where she joined fellow leaders in advancing shared global ocean priorities,” according to a statement from the Office of the President, Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Since 2008, the Pristine Seas program has explored the last wildest places in the world’s oceans, helping create 31 marine reserves, protecting over 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean to combat climate change and biodiversity loss worldwide.
“Diving into the depths of the ocean, the experience offered a unique perspective on the richness and importance of the Marshall Islands’ marine environment…[and] underscores the global urgency of protecting and sustaining the ocean,” the statement added.
This expedition to the Marshalls took place over March and June 2026, with, “scientists and local experts surveyed seven locations – Ailuk, Toke, Jemo, Edrikub, Ailinginae, Enewetak, and Ujelang – examining seabirds, marine mammals, vegetation, coral reef ecosystems, pelagic predators, and deep-sea habitats to depths of up to 6,000 meters.”
Like the the first visit of the Pristine Sea to the Marshall Islands, second expedition was carried out at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA).
A documentary of a previous visit was released last year by National Geographic, and can be watched here.
“The scientific findings will support the Reimaanlok framework and be shared with local communities, whose traditional knowledge and stewardship remains central to the sustainable management of the nation’s natural resources,” the statement noted.
The move comes after President Heine attended and addressed the historic Islands States Ocean Summit in Japan last week, and Pacific Islands states take the momentum towards the Pacific Islands Forum August 30-September 4 in Palau.
