(TNC) — The Nature Conservancy Micronesia and Polynesia in collaboration with Palau’s Bureau of Fisheries, Palau International Coral Reef Center and Coral Reef Research Foundation are conducting the country’s largest-ever study on the life history of reef fish.
“This research is designed to close long-standing data gaps on the growth, lifespan, and reproductive patterns of Palau’s key finfish species,” said Dr. Alex Filous, director of sustainable fisheries at TNC Micronesia and Polynesia. “By generating robust, locally grounded data, we aim to strengthen fisheries management and weave modern science more closely with Palauan traditional knowledge.”
For decades, Palau’s fisheries management relied on data from studies conducted in other parts of the Pacific. These were the best available resources at the time, but they often did not reflect the realities of Palau’s ecosystems. The new study, which began in 2023, changes that by using local data from local fish, ensuring stock assessments and management plans are grounded in Palauan science and experience.
Researchers from PICRC, CRRF, and TNC are sampling key reef fish species from across the country, recording their size and weight, and extracting otoliths (tiny inner ear bones that, like tree rings, reveal a fish’s age). They also examine reproductive organs to determine the size at which fish reach maturity. This data will help communities and authorities set more accurate size limits and protection measures for reef fish populations.
Because of the scale of the work, the team is collaborating with experts from the University of Guam Marine Laboratory and Poseidon Fisheries in Honolulu to process thousands of otolith samples. The study has already strengthened partnerships between Palau’s leading research institutions and built local capacity by training Palauan researchers in otolith extraction and analysis, enabling future studies to be completed entirely in-country.
Early findings have already been shared with local fishing groups, including the Northern Reefs Fisheries Cooperative, Molengmes Fishers Cooperative, and Ngeremlengui State Fishers Group. “Fishers have waited years for this kind of information,” said Dean Kloulechad, Palau fisheries coordinator at TNC Micronesia & Polynesia. “It’s rewarding to finally be able to answer their questions and see their excitement when science confirms what they’ve always known and new information about the fish they did not know”
Once completed, the study’s results will be shared with communities, schools, and government agencies, providing new locally based biological data to guide sustainable management of Palau’s reef fisheries.
