Microplastics in One-Third of Surveyed Pacific Island Fish

Microplastics found in one-third of surveyed Pacific Island fish

The scale of contamination varied significantly across locations however, and the researchers warned against "alarmist" interpretations.

Microplastics in one-third of surveyed Pacific Island fish

Microplastics were found in a third of hundreds of fish surveyed in the coastal waters of several Pacific Island nations, researchers said in a study published Thursday.

Microplastics found in a third of surveyed fish off the coasts of remote Pacific Islands

A third of fish living in the remote coastal waters of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories are contaminated with microplastics, with especially high rates in Fiji, according to an analysis published in PLOS One by Jasha Dehm at the University of the South Pacific and colleagues.

One-Third of Pacific Island Fish Contaminated With Microplastics

From the coral-covered coastlines of Tonga to the remote sandy atolls of Tuvalu, microscopic synthetic fibers are infiltrating the region’s species and food systems. One-third of fish living in Pacific island waters—like Fiji’s thumbprint emperor or Vanuatu’s dash-and-dot goatfish—are contaminated with microplastics, according to data published Wednesday by researchers at the University of the South […]

Scientists Find Microplastics in Fish From Pristine Pacific Waters

Even the most remote Pacific reefs aren’t safe—microplastics are turning everyday fish into silent carriers of global pollution. An extensive new analysis reports that roughly one out of every three fish living in remote Pacific Island coastal waters contains microplastics. The findings, published today (January 28, 2026) in the open-access journal PLOS One, were led [...]