Fisheries Management

Introduction

Fisheries management at FFA provides policy and services to its members to build national capacity and regional solidarity for the sustainable management of tuna in the Pacific. This includes legal expertise, principles and projects around Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management, policy expertise and support regarding fisheries management decision making bodies, notably the WCPFC and SC-SPTBF (Billfish Committee).

Read media releases and reports about Fisheries Management

Many fisheries management activities at FFA are part of the GEF-funded Pacific Islands Oceanic Fisheries Management Project.

Fisheries Management activities also follow the strategy set out in the Regional Tuna Management and Development Strategy.

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Outcomes from PNA Presidential Summit

KOROR, PALAU, 25 FEBRUARY 2010: The first Presidential Summit of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) which includes leaders from Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, today released a declaration on future direction of their tuna fisheries.

The Presidents met at the Ngarachamayong Cultural Centre to discuss the development of the PNA, which aims to develop innovative ways to maximize economic gains from sustainable management of the members’ tuna fisheries.

The PNA Presidents agreed:

PNA PRESIDENTS MEET TO DECIDE WAY FORWARD FOR TUNA

KOROR, PALAU, 25 FEBRUARY 2010: The first Presidential Summit of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) which includes leaders from Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, opens today.

The Presidents will meet at the Ngarachamayong Cultural Centre to discuss the development of the PNA, which aims to develop innovative ways to maximize economic gains from sustainable management of the members’ tuna fisheries.

The PNA, has been dubbed ‘OPEC for tuna’ because it aims to control access to tuna in its waters and so increase economic benefits for Pacific Islanders.

New book available on legal and policy trends in fisheries

Navigating Pacific Fisheries analyses the legal and policy context for the conservation, management and exploitation of tuna fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific region. Each chapter analyses and explores a key legal or policy issue of the tuna fisheries with a particular focus on Pacific island interests. The book explores these matters in two parts: Part One focuses on the impacts of global legal and policy trends on the conservation and management of the Western and Central Pacific tuna fisheries; Part Two focuses on the impacts of regional legal and policy trends on the conservation and management of the Western and Central Pacific tuna fisheries.

The book is published under the Ocean Publications series, a regular publication of ANCORS and was funded by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency.

Access book online by clicking attachment title below.

Course Nominations and Scholarships now open

The International Ocean Institute-Pacific Islands and the Division of Marine Studies of the University of the South Pacific invite nominations for people to participate in the next Train Sea Coast (TSC) course. The course on Responsible Fisheries in the Pacific Islands Region: implementation of Post-UNCED International Instruments will be convened at the Division of Marine Studies facilities from Monday 12 - Friday 23 July, 2010.

The Course was designed through the collaboration of the:
· United Nations Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea UN/DOALOS,
· Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA),
· Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC),
· University of the South Pacific (USP),
· Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and
· Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

Regional Tuna Management and Development Strategy available online

The Regional Tuna Management and Development Strategy (RTMADS) is now available online.

Adopted by the fifth meeting of Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) Ministers in May 2009 in Alofi, Niue, the Strategy was also noted at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders annual meeting in Cairns, Australia in July 2009. The Strategy is complimentary to, and underpins the strategic and annual operational planning framework that is already in place for the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA).

Download by clicking the title of the attachment below.

Pacific Islands proposals on sharks and swordfish adopted at WCPFC

PAPEETE, TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA, 10 DECEMBER 2009: Proposals from Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members on sharks and
swordfish were adopted at the 6th Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) meeting today.

Pacific Island countries are the custodians of the last remaining healthy tuna stocks in the world and manage a marine area of 30 million square kilometres, supported with technical advice and services from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). FFA members participate at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission along with other fishing nations (such as Asian nations, EU and US) to set rules for fishing in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

FFA members finalised a process first begun in 2006 to put in place limits to the catch on swordfish. The WCPFC adopted key amendments proposed by FFA members to the Conservation and Management Measure on Swordfish including:

Pacific Islands act to stop illegal fishing at WCPFC

PAPEETE, TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA, 9 DECEMBER 2009: Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members were successful in tightening controls on illegal fishing at the 6th Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) meeting.

Pacific Island countries are the custodians of the last remaining healthy tuna stocks in the world and manage a marine area of 30 million square kilometres, supported with technical support and services from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). FFA members participate at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission along with other fishing nations (such as Asian nations, EU and US) to set rules for fishing in the Western and Central Pacific
Ocean.

Pacific Islands at Tuna Commission call for tighter controls on fishing

PAPEETE, TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA, 7 DECEMBER 2009: Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members are calling for tighter controls on fishing at the 6th Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) meeting which opened today.

 

 Pacific Island countries are the owners of the last remaining healthy tuna stocks in the world and manage a marine area of 30 million square kilometres, supported with technical support and services from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA).

Pacific Islands Regional Plan of Action (PI-RPOA) on Sharks launched by FFA, SPC and SPREP

PACIFIC ISLANDS, MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2009: The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) today launched the Pacific Islands Regional Plan of Action (PI-RPOA) on Sharks*.
At least 80 species of sharks and rays occur within the Pacific Islands region. Around half of these species are considered to be highly migratory, therefore fishing impacts upon them must be internationally managed. Due to their low productivity and long life span, these species are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation. Sharks and rays are also of cultural significance to many Pacific Island communities.