Overview:
International coral reef organizations visited Palau ahead of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting to learn about local coral restoration, marine research and conservation efforts. The field visit included PICRC’s coral nursery, Ngermid Bay, Jellyfish Lake and the Ngerumekaol Marine Protected Area.
KOROR, Palau (Sept. 23, 2026) — The Palau International Coral Reef Center recently hosted representatives from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Australian Institute of Marine Science and Coral Reef Research Foundation for a field visit focused on coral restoration, marine conservation and research on Palau’s marine ecosystems.
The Aug. 30 visit was held on the eve of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and provided an opportunity for international partners to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships and learn about coral research and conservation work underway in Palau.
The delegation included Great Barrier Reef Foundation Executive Director Theresa Fyffe and Dr. Kalara McGregor; Australian Institute of Marine Science CEO Prof. Selina Stead, Dr. Manuel Gonzalez Rivero and Amanda Brigdale; and Coral Reef Research Foundation’s Gerda Ucharm.
PICRC was represented by CEO Roxanne Siual Blesam, Director Caryn Lkong Koshiba and members of the PICRC team.
The visit began at PICRC, where the delegation was welcomed by the center’s team and Board Chair Surech Bells. The visitors toured the Palau Aquarium and research tanks, with Asap Bukurrou providing an overview of the facilities and ongoing research.
The group then visited PICRC’s coral nursery at Ucheliungs Reef, which was constructed and is managed in collaboration with the CORALASSIST team from Newcastle University.
Dr. Cinzia Alessi, a Palau Aquarium researcher, introduced the delegation to the coral nursery program and its ongoing activities. The visit included discussions about coral restoration and the need to develop strategies to support reef ecosystems as climate conditions change.
The delegation next traveled to Ngermid Bay for a snorkeling session and an introduction to the area’s role as a natural laboratory for studying how corals respond and adapt to climate change.
Alessi and Bukurrou shared information about research being conducted in the bay and how Palau’s reefs can contribute to a broader understanding of coral resilience.
The group also visited Jellyfish Lake, one of Palau’s best-known marine lakes. Ucharm of CRRF led the visit and provided an overview of Palau’s distinctive marine lake systems, their ecological importance and the unique environments they support.
The final stop was the Ngerumekaol Marine Protected Area, home to the renowned Ulong Channel. Alessi and Bukurrou presented information about the area and its conservation significance before the group entered the water to observe the reef ecosystem through snorkeling.
Throughout the field visit, participants discussed the importance of collaboration and knowledge exchange among research institutions and conservation organizations working to protect coral reefs and coastal ecosystems.
“Visits like this provide an important opportunity to connect international expertise with the research and conservation work taking place here in Palau,” Blesam said. “Palau offers an exceptional living laboratory for understanding coral reef resilience, and partnerships such as these help strengthen our collective ability to respond to the challenges facing coral reefs around the world.”
PICRC thanked representatives of GBRF, AIMS and CRRF for participating in the field visit and for their continued commitment to coral reef science and restoration.
With coral reefs facing increasing pressures from climate change and other environmental threats, PICRC said collaboration among institutions and across borders remains important to advancing research, supporting restoration and protecting Palau’s marine ecosystems over the long term.