Speaking @ Chasing Coral
Volitiviti (Viti) Niutabua grew up on a small island in the north of Fiji where he learned to swim on the reef and spearfish to feed his family. As a teenager in the 80s, Viti was recruited by a local dive operator to work on the world-renowned Rainbow Reef: where he grew a deep appreciation for the creatures of the sea.
By the mid-1990s the area was being opened to exploitation by commercial fishermen and poachers, and Viti started to notice drastic changes in the health of the reef. Viti urged local villages to leave keystone species, like giant clams, knowing what impact their loss would have: eventually, Viti quit diving, feeling heartbroken and powerless.
More than 10 years later, Viti returned to Rainbow Reef to work as a Divemaster: this time, encouraging the company to invest in education and conservation programs to protect the ecosystem for generations to come. Viti now has years of experience in marine conservation and advocacy, working with communities across the Fiji Islands to better understand their reefs in our changing world.