September 30, 2025

Governor Stevenson A. Joseph recently attended a presentation by Dr. Sonia J. Rowley (University of Hawaiʻi) on the Senyavin Islands' Gorgonian Octocorals. The Governor engaged with the researcher by asking questions pertinent to the issues raised, particularly noting the critical state of the corals discussed, and personally thanked Dr. Rowley for her vital research and presentation. Dr. Rowley's decade-long study, which surveyed depths down to 140 meters, confirmed Pohnpei as a global biodiversity hotspot, notably by discovering approximately 30 new species of octocorals and a new species of seahorse unique to the area.
The study served as an urgent warning: the coral reefs are dying due to heat stress and converging stressors. This dire assessment was corroborated by Eugene Joseph of the Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP), who confirmed the decline and highlighted that local restoration work is currently underway to address it. The research also highlighted the decline of silky sharks due to unsustainable commercial fishing bycatch. In recognizing these critical scientific findings, Governor Joseph highlighted the importance of leveraging Dr. Rowley’s data to inform future policy decisions. He further expressed strong support for the expansion of existing local restoration initiatives, such as those led by the CSP, in the collective effort to ensure the long-term protection of Pohnpei’s vital oceanic resources.