Many Pacific islands nations are mostly geographically remote, have limited industrial production and relatively small populations. The presence and amount of anthropogenic pollution in these locations was, overall, poorly studied and has often been considered limited. However, in recent decades, coral reefs are increasingly threatened by a wide range of natural and anthropogenic disturbances, including chemical pollution. Three major classes of contaminants are of particular concern: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and metallic trace elements (MTE). These ubiquitous contaminants can be toxic, even at low concentrations, because they are resistant to degradation, transported over long distances, and can bioaccumulate in marine organisms. Marine pollution therefore poses a threat to coral reef fish, as well as potentially to human consumers, as many Pacific communities rely heavily on marine resources for food and livelihoods. This study aims to (i) describe contaminants’ distribution and (ii) determine the drivers of the contamination, through ecological modeling, the impacts of several environmental and human-related parameters at the Pacific scale. These results therefore provide essential baseline information to better interpret the impact of contaminants and also highlight the urgent need for long-term monitoring of various contaminants over large spatial and temporal scales.