The director general of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), an advisory body providing support to tuna fisheries, has made her first official visit to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).
Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen met RMI president, Dr Hilda C Heine, and cabinet ministers to discuss FFA’s vision and to offer support for RMI’s campaign against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“The meeting was a valuable opportunity to discuss ways in which FFA and RMI can collaborate to combat IUU fishing,” said Dr Tupou-Roosen.
“We stand behind President Heine’s bold challenge for an IUU free Pacific by 2023. We will continue our work to combat IUU fishing with innovative tools such as the persons of interest project, electronic monitoring and reporting work, and the enhanced capability provided through the aerial surveillance programme.”
In order to strengthen efforts to protect fisheries and acknowledging the need to enhance monitoring, control and surveillance, the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Dennis Momotaro signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in support of FFA’s Regional Aerial Surveillance Programme with Dr Tupou-Roosen.
A further MoU was signed between the FFA and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Organisation (PNAO) with Dr Tupou-Roosen and PNAO chief executive, Ludwig Kumoru, agreeing to work closely together, for example in ensuring the effective management of the longline fishery and improved labour conditions on board fishing vessels.
