Federated States of Micronesia
Training helps Licensing Officers use legal and FFA tools to control fisheries
WCPFC Area Catch Value Estimates
Introduction
The report aims to provide estimates of the value of catches of the four main commercial species caught in the Western and Central Paciffic Fisheireies Commission (WCPFC) Convention Area, that is, albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares). The report also provides catch data provided by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and prices obtained from a range of sources (provided below) on which the estimated values are based.
Operation Island Chief conducts surveillance across PNG,FSM, RMI, Nauru and Kiribati waters
FFA REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, TUESDAY 24 AUGUST 2010: This year's Operation Island Chief, a surveillance operation involving Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Kiribati and the United States of America, coordinated by the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre, ended yesterday with success in the region's activities to deter illegal fishing.
Over the past 7 days, Pacific patrol boats, US Coast Guard vessels and a US Navy aircraft have surveyed approximately 12,000,000 square kilometers of ocean, sighting numerous vessels and checking their compliance with a range of fisheries regulations.
Approximately 200 people were involved in the surveillance effort and 350 fishing vessels were monitored during the operation, 99 vessels were sighted and 20 boarded.
Surveillance Operation Rai Balang shows success in deterring illegal fishing
FFA REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, TUESDAY 4 MAY 2010: This year’s Operation Rai Balang, a surveillance operation involving Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the US, coordinated by the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre, ended yesterday with success in the region’s activities to deter illegal fishing.
Over the past 10 days, Pacific patrol boats, Coast Guard vessels and aircraft have surveyed approximately 3,000,000 square kilometers of ocean and found no sign of illegal fishing. Approximately 100 people were involved in the surveillance effort from FSM, Palau and the US and 205 fishing vessels were monitored during the operation, 43 were sighted and 6 boarded. One vessel was found to be apparently operating without a valid licence and thus conducting illegal activity in Palau’s EEZ. The vessel has been escorted back to Koror for further investigation.
PNA ANNOUNCES DATE FOR CLOSURE OF 4.5 MILLION SQ KM HIGH SEAS AREAS TO PURSE SEINE FISHING
MAJURO, MARSHALL ISLANDS, 23 APRIL 2010: As this week’s meeting of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) drew to a close today, the PNA agreed for the world’s largest closure of the high seas to purse seine fishing.
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) includes Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu – collectively these countries are the owners of 25% of the world’s tuna supply.
Today the PNA announced that from 1 January 2011 high seas surrounding these countries will be closed to purse seine fishing vessels licenced to fish in their waters.
This closed high seas area:
* Stretches from Palau and Papua New Guinea in the West to Kiribati in the East, Marshall Islands in the North to Tuvalu in the South
Key surveillance operation concludes this week in FSM & Palau
THE REPUBLIC OF PALAU AND THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, 12 MAY 2009: Operation Rai Balang, a bilateral maritime surveillance operation between Palau and Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to detect activities such as illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, ended today. The operation was conducted over 10 days from 2-12 May 2009 over the Palauan and FSM Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in their entirety. This is the fifth Rai Balang conducted (the first was in 2006) and was the most complex to-date. Support was provided by a diverse number of agencies in dispersed locations, including Australian advisers (through the Defence Cooperation Program), US Coast Guard (USCG) agencies in Guam and Hawaii and the US Navy in Japan.
Outcomes from PNA Officials meeting
ALOFI, NIUE, MONDAY 11 MAY 2009: The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) met last week to prepare recommendations for the PNA Ministerial Meeting on Sunday 17 May.
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and often are referred to as the PNA. Their 3rd Implementing Arrangement, adopted in 2008, follows a tradition of innovation by PNA leaders in developing new initiatives to manage tuna resources in the region. Many of the measures of the PNA were also adopted at the last meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission such as the high seas pockets closure and the coverage of observers.
FFA provides assistance, such as the legal and technical assistance, to enable PNA countries to implement these measures at a national level. This assistance is partly funded by the GEF-funded Oceanic Fisheries Management Project.
FFA High Level Delegation and Federated States of Micronesia discuss fisheries development
POHNPEI, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, FEBRUARY 2008: A high level delegation from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) met with leaders from Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) last month to discuss how FFA’s assistance can help provide gain more economic benefits from fisheries.
The FFA Director General Su'a N.F. Tanielu, accompanied by the Director of Fisheries Development, Legal Counsel and Economic Adviser from FFA, met FSM President H.E. Manny Mori, Secretary of the FSM Department of Resources and Development Peter Christian and the National Oceanic Resources Management Authority Board.
These FSM Government leaders identified as a priority for their assistance from FFA the development of fisheries-related on-shore development to attain more income and jobs from fish caught in their waters.
Legal workshop held in Honiara for Parties to Nauru Agreement
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PHOTO: Participants from PNA at the legal workshop this week |
HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, 19-21 JANUARY 2008: The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) held a workshop for Parties to the Nauru Agreement members to equip them to draft legislation and regulations neccessary for the implementation of the 3rd Implementing Arrangement they agreed to on a subregional level in 2008.
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and often are referred to as the PNA.
FFA assists countries to board and prosecute fishing vessels
NUKU’ALOFA, TONGA, MONDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2008: The FFA Director General Su’a N.F. Tanielu opened the Prosecution and Dockside Boarding Workshop in Tonga today. This workshop will assist local officers to board and inspect fishing vessels for offences.
In Tonga this week, fisheries officers, police and maritime navy at the workshop will learn more about International law, National laws, Regional and Sub-regional Fisheries Agreements, Fishing Vessel Boarding & Evidence Collections and Court Procedures.
