South Pacific Integrated Ecosystem Studies meeting: toward conservation and sustainable use of marine resources in the South Pacific

The South Pacific region represents the world’s largest oceanic water mass and plays a significant role in the earth’s climate systems. This region also contains the largest group of island nations, most of whom are dependent on marine resources for their livelihoods. Several of the largest coastal and oceanic fisheries also occur in this region (FAO, 2014). In addition, for the countries associated with the southern Pacific Ocean region, the sea provides significant social, cultural and economic benefits, with many countries being heavily reliant on both coastal and oceanic marine resources (Bell et al., 2013). Increasing coastal populations and climate change are expected to augment human demands on already fully exploited or over-exploited marine resources, threatening both food security and sustainable livelihoods (Bell et al., 2011). Therefore, it is imperative that the science that describes and predicts linked biophysical and human systems is understood and developed to meet these needs. Climate change will have many impacts on marine ecosystems, with implications for end users including individuals, local communities, industries and governments. Improved scientific support for policy and management decision-making in the face of these potential impacts is essential.