Growing up swimming in the pristine waters of New Britain’s Northern coast in Papua New Guinea, Naomi Longa is no stranger to the ocean. Exploring the biodiverse coral reefs of Kimbe Bay during her formative years fuelled a passion that would shape her life’s work in protecting marine environments.

“I dreamed of becoming a scuba diver as early as primary school,” says Naomi. “That dream ignited my passion for marine conservation.” Fast forward to 2025, Naomi has made waves in ocean conservation across Papua New Guinea and Australia.  As Co-Director of  Sea Women of Melanesia and The Great Barrier Reef, the region’s first all-female ocean conservation programmes, Naomi has led countless grassroots training initiatives, directly engaging with Indigenous women in Papua New Guinea and Australia. These programmes, supported by our Xanthe Project partner the Coral Sea Foundation (CSF), work to empower them with the skills and resources needed to protect their communities and coral reefs as well as manage marine protected areas.

Between month-long research excursions to Australia’s Magnetic Island, we caught up with Naomi to discuss her most impactful achievements, what a typical day looks like as a busy ocean advocate, and the crucial role of community-led conservation in safeguarding the future of our marine environments.

 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your connection to the ocean? What inspired your journey into ocean conservation and your passion for creating an impact?

I am Naomi Longa, a proud Melanesian woman from Morokea Village in Kimbe, West New Britain Province, and Harengan Island in Manus Province. I grew up in Kimbe and have always been deeply connected to the natural environment, whether it’s the forest, ocean, mountains, rivers, or islands. My family has a long history of connection to the ocean through generations of ancestors. Growing up, the ocean was a special place where we would collect shells and fish, or simply spend quality time with family. My family has customary ownership rights over the coral reefs near our villages and islands. Over the years, I grew to love the ocean more than the forests. I dreamed of becoming a scuba diver, and that dream ignited my passion for marine conservation. 

I am incredibly grateful to have joined the Sea Women of Melanesia program in 2018. Since then, I have grown alongside the organisation, which is now an NGO. This year marks my sixth year with the program. I enjoy working with communities because it is the first step to managing natural resources in Papua New Guinea, and it is the community that will drive lasting change.

How did your involvement with the Coral Sea Foundation and the Sea Women of Melanesia programme come about?

I became involved with the CSF in 2018 through its Sea Women of Melanesia training program. CSF sponsored my open-water scuba course and allowed me to advance my scuba diving career in Australia. As the program grew and attracted more funding, it was registered as a not-for-profit organisation in Papua New Guinea. I became one of the directors of the NGO and have been managing the Kimbe team ever since.

“I had the privilege of leading the National Geographic Pristine Seas team to the Manus community…It was an incredibly humbling and rewarding experience for both the organisation and the island community, and it holds a special place in my heart.”

What do you see as some of the most meaningful impacts the Sea Women of Melanesia programme has made since its inception?

Some of the most impactful work the organisation has accomplished includes establishing three functioning regional offices in Papua New Guinea with active teams of women, conducting community awareness campaigns, making donations and engaging women in communities to take leadership roles in managing marine resources. We've also won multiple international awards by working at the grassroots level and directly engaging with communities.

Is there a particular project or achievement from your time with the programme that holds a special place in your heart?

There are many highlights, but one that stands out is when I travelled to my mother’s island in Manus and helped the community set up its first Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) in 2020—a region where local communities manage and conserve marine resources. Unlike government-imposed protected areas, LMMAs are community-driven and often integrate traditional knowledge with modern conservation practices.

The community was very cooperative, making the whole process much easier and we continue to support this project. In September last year, I had the privilege of leading the National Geographic Pristine Seas team to the Manus community and showcasing the LMMAs created in 2020. It was an incredibly humbling and rewarding experience for both the organisation and the island community, and it holds a special place in my heart.

As the Training Operations Manager of Sea Women of Melanesia, what does a typical day in your role look like?

My days are always varied. Sometimes, we go on expeditions to the reef to collect monitoring photos and manage Crown of Thorns starfish outbreaks. Other times, we conduct community awareness sessions or training. I also manage administrative tasks like accounting, the ReefCloud project, report writing, responding to emails, and handling film and interview requests. Occasionally, I attend workshops or training sessions.

Do you have a childhood memory of the ocean that has stayed with you and shaped your deep connection to it?

One of my earliest memories of the ocean is going on fishing trips with my dad. I always loved visiting the sea, and every fishing trip was exciting and adventurous. These experiences helped shape my deep connection to the ocean. Can you share a moment when the ocean’s beauty or power left you in awe? How did that experience shape your perspective or your work?

I am constantly amazed by how much life the ocean holds, from coral reefs and seagrass beds to mangroves and deepwater ecosystems. On calm, sunny days, the sight of colourful corals and fish on patch reefs or the interaction of marine life below the surface always leaves me in awe. 

A recent experience that gave me a new perspective was during a submersible dive with the National Geographic Pristine Seas team. We descended to 450 meters where there was limited light and entirely different marine life. The dive gave me chills and deepened my appreciation for the ocean’s vastness and mystery. There’s so much life below the surface that remains undiscovered and in need of protection.

“During a submersible dive, we descended to 450 meters where there was limited light and entirely different marine life. It gave me chills...there’s so much life below the surface that remains undiscovered and in need of protection.”

Is there a particular ocean creature you feel especially drawn to? 

I don’t have a specific ocean creature I’m drawn to, but my totem animals are barracudas and a family of rock cods, which we don’t eat. Personally, I enjoy observing anemones and the fish and shrimp that live within them. Their special interaction always fascinates me, and I love photographing them whenever I’m underwater.

What’s a fun or surprising fact about the ocean that you think more people should know?

The ocean is a unique ecosystem that produces over 50% of the planet’s oxygen. It also serves as a vital carbon sink, storing carbon dioxide and helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

If you could share one powerful message about protecting the ocean and inspiring action, what would it be?

The survival and health of our civilisation and our species are deeply linked to the survival and health of ocean ecosystems. How we treat life in the ocean will be reflected in how our own lives are treated on this planet. Let's choose to look after the ocean and look after ourselves too!

Learn more about Naomi Longa and the Sea Women programs here.

Discover more about our Xanthe Project initiative and the organisations we support.