Fiji, July 31 -- Former Miss Samoa, Miss Pacific Islands and UNICEF Pacific Ambassador Moemoana Schwenke has called on Pacific Islanders to oppose deep-sea mining, warning that it threatens the ocean that has sustained Pacific communities for generations.

In a Facebook post Thursday, Schwenke described the Pacific Ocean (Moana) as central to the identity, culture and heritage of Pacific peoples.

"From every shoreline, she is the same ocean. As Pacific peoples, we are connected by our Moana. Our genealogies are woven through her tides and islands."

She said the ocean has nurtured Pacific communities for generations and should not be viewed simply as a resource.

"The ocean is not just where we live, she is who we are. She has carried an...