 Posted: Sat Jul 24, 2010 7:55 pm Post subject: Islands lose $1.7b a year from illegal fishing |
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The Sixth Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee Ministerial meeting earlier this month in Papua New Guinea agreed on several strategic priorities for management and control of fishing. Australia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu were represented at the ministerial level and four other members were represented by senior officials at the meeting.
R&D Minister Matt Zackhras represented the RMI at this meeting.
Ministers discussed progress to create sustainable fisheries management and development. They approved a Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA)/Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) report “The Future of Pacific Island Fisheries” for presentation to the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in early August in Vanuatu.
The report outlines some of the key challenges for leaders as custodians of fisheries over the coming decades. Ministers also adopted the Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Strategy, which outlines strategies and actions for regional cooperation to control illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Pacific Islands.
In a separate but related meeting held in Canberra, Australia July 12-13, FFA fisheries and law enforcement Ministers discussed priorities for monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing in the region. Justice Minister Brenson Wase, Minister Zackhras, Police Commissioner George Lanwi MIMRA Deputy Director Samuel Lanwi represented the RMI at this meeting.
“Illegal fishing is estimated to cost the region up to $1.7 billion per year, and has the potential to significantly erode the benefits to Pacific island people associated with tuna fisheries,” said Australia’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke as he announced his government will provide $400,000 to support the implementation by FFA of a regional monitoring, control and surveillance strategy.
“The Gillard Government is working with the FFA to support the implementation of a regional monitoring, control and surveillance strategy to eliminate illegal fishing activity. We want to ensure the long term sustainability of fisheries in the Pacific islands.”
The Ministers also agreed on a roadmap for the negotiation process to develop greater cooperation among the various regional agencies and FFA member countries.
The negotiations are to conclude no later than the end of 2012 and directed the FFA, Forum Secretariat, and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA Office to coordinate to ensure that the work fosters common outcomes. To facilitate this, Australia announced that it has allocated an extra A$2.4 million over the next three years to support the negotiation process.
Marshall Islands Journal |
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