Monitoring & Surveillance

Surveillance Operation TUI MOANA shows continuing determination by FFA members to deter illegal fishing

FFA REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, MONDAY 8 JUNE 2010: Operation Tui Moana, a surveillance operation involving Cook Islands, Samoa and New Zealand, coordinated by the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre, concluded on Monday demonstrating determination by FFA members to deter illegal fishing by conducting regional MCS operations.

Over  10 days, the Cook Island Pacific patrol boat with two NZ fisheries officers, supported by a P3K Orion surveillance aircraft provided by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF),  conducted surveillance and boarding operations in the EEZ's of Samoa, Cook Islands and the surrounding high seas areas and the pocket adjacent to Cook Islands EEZ. 

Pacific Patrol boat President Te Kukupa from Cook Islands, complemented the surveillance by a RNZAF P3C Orion surveillance aircraft provided by NZ to conduct patrols targeting Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing vessels. 

NEWS: Tuna data management and women observer support strengthened in Solomon Islands

The First Solomon Islands National Tuna Data Workshop was held in Honiara last week to reflect on the current practices, identify ways to improve collection and management of tuna data and to make sure the country meets its data obligations to the WCPFC

With tuna as the second biggest export earner in the Solomon Islands, data of tuna catch and other fishing related activities within Solomon Islands EEZ must be recorded and managed in proper systems and procedures to inform the Government to make decisions that ensure the long term sustainability of the tuna industry.  

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.

FFA members meet to discuss tools for illegal fishing

HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, SATURDAY 27 MARCH 2010: The Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Working Group meeting closes today after five days of discussions about how to respond to illegal fishing.

37 experts from monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries from the 17 member countries and territories of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have been discussing tools to combat illegal fishing.

Illegal fishing is difficult to estimate - but if just 10% of the skipjack catch of 1.2 million tons is taken by illegal fishing, a possible US$276 million dollars worth of fish is being stolen each year. This is a great loss for Pacific Island economies, government revenues and for the many islanders that rely on fisheries for jobs and food.

Regional MCS Strategy

Click attachment titles below to read the reports prepared as part of development of the Regional MCS Strategy conducted on 2009 and presented at FFC71. The reports are prepared by consultants and do not neccessarily reflect the views of FFA.

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.

FFA members make gains at WCPFC committee

POHNPEI, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER 2009: At
the Fifth Regular Session of the Technical and Compliance Committee (TCC5) of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in Pohnpei this week, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members advanced recommendations to increase effectiveness of fisheries management in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

The Technical and Compliance Committee of WCPFC makes recommendations to the annual meeting of the Commission, to be held in this year in December in French Polynesia. WCPFC membership consists of the 17 members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency plus 9 other fishing nations. Decisions at WCPFC so far have been made by consensus although there are also provisions for voting.

Outcomes from the meeting include:

ACCESS TO HIGH SEAS DATA

Kiribati fines ship $1 million USD following Operation Kurukuru

BETIO, KIRIBATI, 23 SEPTEMBER 2009: The High Court of Kiribati today fined the owner and master of a foreign fishing vessel a total of USD $1 million  for fishing in Kiribati waters without a licence.


The fine came as the High Court handed down its judgment on the prosecution by Kiribati Attorney General of Chung Ching Fu and Sung Hui Ocean Company Ltd, master and owner respectively, of the Vanuatu flagged, longline fishing vessel Sung Hui.

Kiribati court fines ship for illegal activities

BETIO, KIRIBATI, 27 AUGUST 2009: The Kiribati Court of Appeal today fined the owner and master of a ship not licenced to operate in Kiribati waters when it handed down its judgment in the appeal by Athena Shipping and No Euihyeong, owner and master, respectively, of the Hai Soon 28.

On 21 February 2009 Hai Soon 28 was seen unloading fuel to a fishing vessel without a permit. A Kiribati Police Officer, Kiribati Fisheries Officer boarded the Hai Soon 28 from a US Coastguard vessel and brought the ship back to port where it was placed under arrest.

In court, 19 cases of refueling was confirmed and total fines ordered were $380,000 (AUD) for the master and $4,350,000 for the owner.

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Region’s biggest maritime surveillance operation acts to stop illegal fishing

FFA REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS, HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, FRIDAY 21 AUGUST 2009: Operation Kurukuru 2009, 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 FFA over 10 days.

Operation Kurukuru 2009 resulted in 21 boardings of vessels, levying of a $10,000 fine and 3 apprehensions of vessels which were escorted to port for further investigation. In Tuvalu, 1 vessel was fined USD $10,000 for misreporting of fishing catch. The 4 aircraft involved in the operation flew a total of 85 hours and covered approximately 800,000 square nautical miles.