Microplastics in one-third of surveyed Pacific Island fishBy Ben StrangWellington (AFP) Jan 28, 2026Microplastics 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. The research examined nearly 900 fish from 138 species -- all of them consumed locally -- taken from waters off Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. But almost 75 percent of fish samples from Fiji's waters were affected, while just five percent were in Vanuatu. Pacific nations may be particularly vulnerable to microplastic pollution given limited waste management systems and rapid urban growth on some islands, the study said. And the findings, published in the PLOS One journal, are especially relevant given most Pacific communities rely on fish as a key source of nutrition and livelihood.