FFA hosts Hon. Pat Conroy as Australia reaffirms ongoing support for monitoring efforts against illegal fishing in Pacific

FFA continues to strengthen its surveillance capabilities against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Pacific, with support from Australia. 

Hon. Pat Conroy, the Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, visited the FFA Regional Aerial Surveillance Aircraft this morning at Fua’amotu Airport in Tonga.

Hon. Conroy was accompanied by Ministers of Fisheries: , Hon. Lord Fohe of Tonga, Hon. Tingika Elikana of the Cook Islands, and Hon. Alitia Bainivalu of Fiji, and the FFA Director General, Dr Manumatavai Tupou-Roosen. 

The visit was supported by the FFA Secretariat, who are in Tonga for the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Nuku’alofa.

The event highlighted the importance of Australia’s continuing support and partnership with the Pacific, in advancing regional maritime security with the doubling of funding support towards the Aerial Surveillance component of the Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP).

FFA Director General Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen expressed the Agency’s gratitude toward Australia’s ongoing support for surveillance and monitoring efforts to address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and maritime security threats in the Blue Pacific.

“Our message is of gratitude to the Australian Government for this valuable support through the Pacific Maritime Security Program with the provision of patrol boats and the aircraft to monitor and enhance maritime security and domain awareness across our vast EEZ..

“The aircraft provides extended surveillance reach and capability for the membership and, together with our other surveillance tools, we are able to more effectively monitor and deter illegal activities.   We are grateful that Australia is steadfast in their commitment and support to combating illegal fishing effectively.

“Hon. Conroy has highlighted that the stakes are always high, which is why this assistance is so valuable. Hon. Conroy has also emphasised that we can only do this through cooperation including  of Australia with our Pacific countries, the cooperation between the FFA Secretariat and relevant regional agencies, between our Pacific countries and nationally between agencies.

“It is the only way to ensure our maritime security and enhance the maritime domain awareness in the Blue Pacific that we are blessed with.

“Malo ‘aupito.”

The FFA Regional Aerial Surveillance Program (RASP), commenced in December 2017, and is a key initiative funded by Australia under the Pacific Maritime Security Program.

The program is designed to support FFA members in protecting their EEZs, build Maritime Domain Awareness, encourage interagency collaboration, create a deterrence effect against maritime security threats, and generate intelligence to enhance maritime patrol effectiveness.

The program is Member-driven, meaning that aircraft are tasked according to Member priorities and coordinated by the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre.

NUKU’ALOFA, 29 August 2024

Media Contacts: Emily V. Moli FFA Communications Manager e: [email protected] Ernest Ta'asi FFA Communications Officer e: ernest.ta’[email protected] Priscilla Ragu FFA Communications Officer e: [email protected]

About Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) FFA assists its 17 Members to sustainably manage fishery resources that fall within their 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). FFA provides expertise, technical assistance and other support to its members who make decisions about their tuna resources and participate in regional decision making on tuna management. Find out more here: www.ffa.int