Ocean Governance & Power Plays: Former Pacific Islands Forum SG Dame Meg Taylor used World Ocean Day to warn that rising geopolitical rivalry, militarisation, and reliance on outside funding could weaken Pacific-led control of the ocean—urging stronger economic independence and unity to keep priorities Pacific-owned. World Ocean Day Focus: A separate World Ocean Day piece ties ocean health to climate stability, food and freshwater, trade, and livelihoods, pushing stronger marine protection and the 30×30 goal as acidification and sea-level rise intensify. Seabed Minerals Race: A report on deep-sea mining shows how the scramble for seabed minerals is now entangled with US–China competition, with Washington exploring deals with Nauru and Tonga and China holding agreements with Kiribati and the Cook Islands. Fisheries & Food Safety: The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency highlighted two decades of tuna management success—54% of the world’s tuna catch with healthy stocks—while another update says EU food safety rules will affect about 97% of Pacific freezer vessels, prompting new regional training. Local Resilience: FAO-backed forestry training in Fiji and Samoa focused on sustainable teak and pine production to help climate-proof livelihoods and ecosystems. Energy Tech Watch: A feature explains Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), using warm surface and cold deep seawater to generate steady power in tropical regions like Sri Lanka.