NGO & Civil Society Pacific Oceanic Fisheries Management Workshop

A workshop on regional oceanic fisheries management in the western and central Pacific is to be held at the Tanoa Plaza, Suva, Fiji on 24 – 25 April. The workshop has been organised by WWF South Pacific Office and is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the Pacific Islands Oceanic Fisheries Management Project executed by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). The workshop will contribute to the effort to raise stakeholder participation and awareness, specifically environmental non-governmental organisations and civil society, in national and regional oceanic fisheries management processes namely the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention (WCPFC). The workshop will be facilitated by Mr. Ian Cartwright and seeks to develop an:

• understanding of the current status of oceanic fisheries, with an emphasis on the four key tuna species and associated by-product and by-catch;
• appreciation of fisheries management issues, and the importance of maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, with an emphasis on fish stocks and habitats;
• awareness of the network of fisheries management arrangements in the Pacific, including national, sub-regional (PNA), regional (FFA) and multilateral (WCPFC) levels;
• understanding of the intended work of the Commission, emphasising the requirement for transparency, and engagement by Pacific Island nationals including NGOs;
• agreement on the potential areas of interest and involvement by Pacific NGOs in fisheries issues, with an emphais on oceanic (tuna) fisheries;
• understanding of the WWF/GEF work programme and provision of feedback on intended activities; and
• identification of information gaps, effective communication methods and needs of NGOs to support involvement in fisheries management.

WWF have a well coordinated, strategic initiative as part of their work programme that seeks to improve tuna fisheries management in the Western and Central Pacific and are recognized observers at the WCPF Commission meetings. They have sought to involve expert advice from regional resources to compliment their personnel for this workshop, and in this regard Mr Cartwright who has an established career in Australia in fisheries management and a former Deputy Director of FFA, is supported by presenters from the Pacific Community Oceanic Fisheries Programme and the FFA. Representatives from a number of regional environmental non governmental organisations have been invited to participate at the Suva workshop, including Pacific Concerns Resource Centre, IUCN Suva, Greenpeace Pacific, Birdlife and others.

The Summary Record and Outcomes of the NGO & Civil Society Workshop on Oceanic Fisheries Management in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area held at Suva, Fiji on 24 - 25 April 2007 is here.