US Multilateral Treaty

US Treaty

Introduction

FFA administers and provides support for the implementation of the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between Certain Governments of the Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (commonly referred to as the "US Treaty").  The US Treaty first started in 1987 and it has been renewed on two occasions, with the last renewal in 2003 and to run for 10 years until 2013.  The US Treaty enables US purse seine fishing vessels to fish in the waters of the 16 Pacific Island Parties which are: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

Full text of the treaty can be downloaded below.

Delegates to the Internal Meeting of the Pacific Island Parties click here to download papers

Outcomes from Pacific Island Parties – US Consultation

ALOFI, NIUE, 12-18 MARCH 2010: Niue hosted the Special Pacific Islands Parties Internal Meeting on 13-18 March and the Annual Consultation with the U.S. regarding the implementation of the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between Certain Governments of the Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (commonly referred to as the "U.S. Treaty") from 17-18 March 2010. 

Outcomes include:

Key fisheries meetings outcomes – US Treaty, Billfish Committee and SPRFMO

NADI, FIJI & HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS OCTOBER 2009: FFA participated in a number of key meetings this month, outcomes from which are detailed below.

US TREATY
The regional headquarters of FFA, Honiara, Solomon Islands, hosted the Special Pacific Islands Parties Internal Meeting on 28 October and the 1st Renegotiation Session of the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between Certain Governments of the Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (commonly referred to as the "US Treaty") from 29-30 October 2009.

Initial exchange of views and discussions were positive. The Pacific Island Parties and the US expressed a shared interest in renegotiation on three key elements - licensing arrangements including financial and economic aspects, the fishing opportunities available to US flagged vessels and the duration of an extension of the Treaty arrangements which are due to expire in June 2013.

Outcomes from FFA’s US & Indonesia talks

REGIONWIDE, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2009: The members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Secretariat have had separate meetings with Indonesia and the US this month to discuss issues of common concern to the Pacific Islands and these countries.

US TREATY MEETING AND OUTCOMES
The Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between Certain Governments of the Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (commonly referred to as the "US Treaty") held its 21st Annual Consultation between the Pacific Island Parties and the United States, in Koror Palau from 12-13 March.

Outcomes include:

FFA members and US meet in Palau this week

KOROR, PALAU FRIDAY 13 MARCH 2009: The members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) met US delegates about their multilateral fishing treaty this week.

The Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between Certain Governments of the Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (commonly referred to as the "US Treaty") held its 21st Annual Consultation between the Pacific Island Parties and the United States, in Koror Palau.

At the opening of the meeting, on Thursday 12 March 2009, were The Honourable Kerai Mariur, Vice President of the Republic of Palau, Mr William Gibbons-Fly and members of the USA delegation, representatives of the Pacific Island Parties, senior officials of the Government of the Republic of Palau, and the FFA Director General Dan Sua and Deputy Director-General, Dr. Transform Aqorau.