Located deep within the vast expanse of the southeastern Pacific, Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is defined by a profound symbiosis between its people and the sea. For the Rapa Nui, the ocean is not a boundary, but the foundation of their identity—a legacy embodied by the monolithic mo’ai that have watched over the coastline for centuries.
In one of the most remote places on Earth,
the ocean is everything.
Today, that heritage faces modern pressures from climate change and overfishing. In response, the community is uniting ancestral wisdom with Marine Manager, an innovative technology portal that supports the design, monitoring and management of marine protected areas. Developed in partnership with Dona Bertarelli, the platform serves as the “digital eyes” for the Rapa Nui Multiple-Use Marine and Coastal Protected Area — a 270,000-square-mile sanctuary where industrial activity is barred to protect traditional artisanal fishing.
By integrating satellite-based vessel tracking with oceanographic data, Marine Manager empowers the Koro Nui o te Vaikava, or Council of the Sea, and local authorities to detect industrial encroachment in real-time. This data-driven governance ensures that 140+ endemic species and vital tuna spawning grounds remain protected, transforming ocean management into a shared, community-led mission. For the Rapa Nui, Marine Manager is more than a tool for surveillance; it is a bridge between generations, ensuring that the ancient relationship between the islanders and the Pacific endures for the next thousand years.
Here, fishing is more than a livelihood —
it is a legacy passed through generations.
“The sea—the sound of the sea—its abundance, its colors. Every day you see something different: different birds, different species, the rain, the rainbow, the sunrise, the sunset. All of that has made me fall in love with it. Fishing is truly a job that I love and enjoy."
Francisco Moncada, Rapa Nui artisanal fisher.
Explore how tradition, community and technology converge in the rhythm of Rapa Nui.
According to oral tradition, Anakena Beach is the landing site of King Hotu Matu’a, the first Polynesian navigator to settle Rapa Nui and found its civilization. The beach is home to two ceremonial ahu platforms: Ahu Nau Nau, where seven mo’ai stand — these are monolithic human figures carved from stone — and Ahu Ature Huki, which supports a single mo’ai, the first statue restored in modern times back in 1956.
Rapa Nui’s waters are home to a unique array of marine biodiversity shaped by isolation and generations of stewardship. Maintaining low-impact activities — from artisanal fishing to small-scale tourism — is essential to safeguarding these fragile ecosystems and ensuring the ocean continues to sustain the island’s communities.
Standing along the shoreline at Ahu Tongariki, fifteen mo’ai face inland, symbolically watching over their descendants while the vast Pacific stretches behind them. Restored after being toppled by a 20th-century tsunami, the platform reflects the enduring relationship between the Rapa Nui people and the ocean — a source of life, risk and resilience.
Off the coast of Rapa Nui, the island’s iconic motus, or islets, rise from the Pacific, offering its many visitors a reminder of the ocean’s central role in local life. With no large ports, the same small boats used for artisanal fishing also power its coastal tours, seamlessly linking these two vital economic pillars.
Global Fishing Watch works in collaboration with the Koro Nui o te Vaikava, the traditional council responsible for overseeing Rapa Nui’s marine space. Together, we strengthen ocean management by combining ancestral governance with satellite-based vessel tracking — supporting transparency, informed decision making and the long-term protection of the island’s waters.
Global Fishing Watch has delivered training to officers from the Municipality of Rapa Nui and SERNAPESCA, strengthening local capacity to use Marine Manager for monitoring, control and surveillance, as well as research on marine biodiversity. By building technical skills at the local level, the collaboration supports more informed decision making and reinforces community-led ocean governance.
Rapa Nui has no large commercial ports — only small caletas like Hanga Roa, where artisanal fishing boats launch and return each day. These small-scale fisheries are vital to the island’s economy and food security, sustaining local livelihoods and reinforcing a long tradition of ocean stewardship.
Francisco Moncada presents a 100+ pound (50 kilogram) yellowfin tuna, locally known as kahi ave ave, caught by hand with a simple fishing rod. Tuna is one of the island’s most important pelagic species and a cornerstone of Rapa Nui’s artisanal fishery. Almost all tuna landed is consumed locally, underscoring its central role in food security, culture and the island’s self-sufficiency.
Carved in stone, the mo’ai embody a legacy of guardianship that has endured for generations. Today, that guardianship is evolving. By bringing clarity to human activity at sea, technology supports the Rapa Nui community in carrying this responsibility forward. From memory to monitoring, stewardship continues.
