Disseminating research through academic publishing is essential for contributing to global knowledge, advancing critical fields and finding solutions to humanity’s challenges. However, for Pacific Islanders, navigating the path to publication can feel like crossing a vast ocean while weighed down by systemic barriers that make sharing knowledge, lived experiences and unique worldviews with the broader academic community difficult. Using an Indigenous talk story methodology (talanoa), discussions were held with early and mid-career Pacific Island researchers to identify the main barriers collectively faced. These barriers included insufficient time and funding, poor recognition of Indigenous research methodologies, inequitable partnerships with researchers from the Global North, lack of local academic mentors, linguistic hurdles and biases in the academic system. The paper outlines strategies aimed at dismantling systemic barriers faced by Pacific researchers when designing and conducting research, writing manuscripts and publishing in the academic literature. Discussion highlights pathways for greater inclusion of Pacific scholars in academic publishing to which Global North researchers, academic journals and funding agencies can contribute. Removing barriers is essential to leverage the unique insights of Pacific Island researchers, whose contributions are vital for developing locally-driven, globally impactful solutions to the biodiversity and climate change crises.