Joeli Veitayaki is an Associate Professor at the School of Marine Studies at the University of the South Pacific (USP). He is also Director for the International Ocean Institute Pacific Islands based at the USP and is Co-Chair of the Korea-South Pacific Ocean Forum.

He is a trained teacher who did his Bachelor of Arts in Education and Masters of Arts Studies at USP. He obtained his PhD in Environment Management and Development from the National Centre of Development Studies (NCDS) at the Australian National University.

Apart from teaching, Joeli conducts research in different parts of Fiji and the Pacific Island Countries with partners from USP and abroad to promote the sustainable use and management of marine resources. He has written articles and books on the importance of subsistence and artisanal fisheries, indigenous knowledge and traditional resources management systems, culture, capacity building, climate change, disaster risk reduction, community based resource management, sustainable development and Law of the Sea, maritime transport and regional cooperation in the Pacific Islands.

He also has worked as a trainer and researcher in most of the Pacific Island Countries as well as in Australia, Canada, Malta, USA, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, France, Norway, Korea, Scotland and the Caribbean.