Protect the seas or mine for metals? Pacific islanders wrestle to balance demands on their oceans

Dotted across the northwest of the Pacific Ocean, the limestone islands of Palau rise like forested domes. Beneath the waves, reefs pulse with activity—fish dart through coral gardens, turtles drift nearby, while sharks with black-tipped fins shadow a passing tourist boat.

- Prianka Srinivasan in Koror

Nearly a decade ago, the country took a bold step to safeguard this vibrant seascape, declaring 80% of its waters a no-fishing sanctuary. Ngerukewid, also known as the "Seventy Islands," is a group of dozens of small, raised coral islands nestled within Palau's lagoon.

But support for the sanctuary—which covers a massive area about the size of Sweden—has soured among some Palauans. Those who rely on the ocean feel caught between the need to feed their families and the rules designed to protect their waters. "If 80% of Palauan waters is a marine sanctuary, where am I going to get my fish?" asks Dennis Daniel, a waste management worker, while drinking beer on the shoreline of Palau's most populous town, Koror.

Fishermen have struggled to supply the local tuna markets, fueling frustration over the nation's strict fishing restrictions.

As a result, Palau's government wants to reopen parts of the sanctuary to allow more fishing. It plans to shrink its no-fishing zone by more than a third and open a new fishing port on the west coast of its largest island.

Officials argue the move will help families like Daniel's, while still protecting half of Palau's waters from commercial fishing.

Critics, however, warn that scaling back protections will only harm Palau's marine diversity, already vulnerable to climate breakdown.

Palau's struggle is not unique. In communities across the region, where the ocean is often their biggest resource, mounting economic pressures are forcing a rethink.

Collectively, small island Pacific states manage roughly 10% of the planet's ocean, making their decisions critical not only for their own futures, but for the health of marine ecosystems worldwide.

The Pacific is also home to some of the most valuable fisheries in the world, with the region supplying about 30% of the world's tuna.