Marshall Islands
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.
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
PNA Office launched in Majuro, Marshall Islands
MAJURO, MARSHALL ISLANDS, 22 APRIL 2010: The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Office was officially launched today in the presence of the RMI President and the PNA Ministers.
The PNA brings together eight Pacific Island countries to sustainably manage tuna and increase economic benefits for their peoples. PNA members are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. These countries own waters which supply 25% of the world’s tuna, an estimated $2 billion worth of fish every year.
Officers learn about monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing
HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, MONDAY 29 JUNE 2009: Fisheries and compliance officers from Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu are in Honiara this week to learn more about monitoring, control and surveillance of illegal fishing.
The Week 5 FFA Component of the National Fisheries Officers’ Surveillance Course opened today in Honiara at the FFA Conference Centre. This is the final week in the 5-week course, the rest of the course being conducted by AMC Search Ltd in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
The Course is an annual event funded by the Australian Department of Defence and facilitated by staff of the Australian Maritime College and the FFA. The course is aimed at developing expertise and capacity of national officers responsible for monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing in the region.
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.
Legal workshop held in Honiara for Parties to Nauru Agreement
|
|
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.
Solomon Islands hosts region’s biggest maritime surveillance operation this week
HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, 12 SEPTEMBER 2008: Operation Kurukuru 2008, a coordinated maritime surveillance operation in which countries cooperate to detect activities such as illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, smuggling and people trafficking, was hosted by the Solomon Islands this week.
