PNA to charge for FAD use

Ministers at the annual PNA ministerial meeting in Federated States of Micronesia's capital Palikir, decided that a US$1,000 fee paid on top of the Vessel Day Scheme fee would be good incentive "not to set nets on FADs."

Executive officer Dr Transform Aqorau said once again the ministers and officials of the PNA member nations have shown great wisdom and resolve to come up with not only a global first but a first in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in fisheries management and sustainability.

"From January 2016 PNA member nations across the board will try out the new initiative to levy a fee of US$1,000 on each ship that sets FADs in a fishing day," Dr Aqorau said.

The decision follows a PNA Ministerial endorsement to look into the possibility of such an initiative on FADs when they met in Tuvalu last year; something the host nation and Tokelau were particularly keen on.

"This is because they are two of the smallest and most vulnerable members of the PNA and fishing in their waters is very dependent on the use of FADs," he said.

Currently FADs are managed in the region at a WCPFC level with a four month closure of FAD fishing which is aimed at primarily reducing juvenile bigeye, juvenile yellowfin and other bycatch that are taken during FAD use.

Dr Aqorau said for Tokelau and Tuvalu and some other PNA members this is a crippling burden on them in terms of reduced revenue because it makes fishing in their waters much less attractive to the boats on which they depend on for their revenue.

Dr Aqorau said the initiative would provide a positive incentive for vessels to fish on free schools while leaving them free to manage their operations in a way that would be most profitable for them.

The PNA member nations will first start the trial in 2016 to see the best way to implement it and then return to report their findings to the PNA ministerial meeting.