SOLOMON ISLANDS Scientific report from the 2024 National Geographic Pristine Seas Expedition November 2025

In 2022, at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), the Solomon Islands announced its commitment to protect at least 15% of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), nearly 250,000 square kilometers of its marine waters. To support this vision, National Geographic Pristine Seas, in partnership with Oceans12, the Solomon Islands Government, and the Provincial Governments of Guadalcanal, Makira, and Temotu, conducted an expedition to the Solomon Islands in 2024. The primary objective of the expedition was to gather scientific information on the biodiversity and relative condition of three targeted areas designated by Oceans12 Ministries to inform their potential protection. The three regions included Marau Sound in Guadalcanal, the Three Sisters Islands in Makira, and five island areas within Temotu (Tinakula, Lata, Nukapu, Reef Islands, and Duff Islands). This report presents the initial findings and preliminary results on the biodiversity and health of surveyed regions, generating information on the status of the coral reef, pelagic, and deep-sea habitats as well as seabird populations.