Tonga
Training helps Licensing Officers use legal and FFA tools to control fisheries
Region's biggest maritime surveillance operation, hosted by FFA, clamps down on illegal fishing
HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, 15 NOVEMBER 2010: Operation Kurukuru 2010, a coordinated maritime surveillance operation in which countries cooperate to detect illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, hosted by the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency concluded this week with several successful boardings and apprehensions of suspected illegal fishing vessels.
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.
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.
FFA High Level Delegation in Tonga this week
NUKU’ALOFA, THURSDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2008: A high level delegation from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) met with Tongan leaders this week to discuss Tongan fisheries.
The FFA Director General Su'a N.F. Tanielu, accompanied by the Director of Fisheries Management, development adviser and legal officer from FFA, met Acting Minister of Agriculture and Food, Forest and Fisheries Hon. Lisiate ‘Akolo, the department’s Director and Deputy Director and a project consultant to discuss Tonga’s national priorities for fisheries and how FFA can assist with expertise, services and other support.
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.
FFA members make gains at WCPFC committee
POHNPEI, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, WEDNESDAY 8 OCTOBER 2008: At the Fourth Regular Session of the Technical and Compliance Committee (TCC4) 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 Korea. WCPFC membership consists of the 17 members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency plus 9 other fishing nations.(1) Decisions at WCPFC so far have been made by consensus although there is also provisions for voting that have not yet been used (under WCPF Convention Article 11 [4] which includes decision making of subsidiary bodies of the Commission).
FFA members support Tonga’s bid to list vessel for illegal fishing
POHNPEI, FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, SATURDAY 04 OCTOBER 2008: At the Fourth Regular Session of the Technical and Compliance Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), in Pohnpei this week, Tonga pursued its bid to get Taiwanese fishing vessel F/V Chu Huai No.638 prosecuted for illegal fishing in Tongan waters.
It was generally agreed by the Technical and Compliance Committee that the vessel would be listed on the provisional Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Vessel list (pending further development of this decision). This technical committee makes recommendations but not decisions about which vessels should be added to the WCPFC Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Vessel List. Decisions will be made about whether or not to accept these recommendations at the 5th session of WCPFC in December this year in Busan, Korea.
Operation Kurukuru Staff
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Operation Kurukuru Photos
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