Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) says many positive outcomes were achieved at the 13th Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission annual meeting in Fiji, including adoption of the observer safety measure.
For most attendees, the observer safety measure was a victory for all fisheries observers who place their lives on the line every time they go to sea, and an important development in the evolution of WCPFC.
Ludwig Kumoru, CEO, PNA, said: “PNA members and staff worked closely with other members of the Forum Fisheries Agency and their staff to produce good results.”
“The result demonstrates the power we have as a united force to get policy measures at the WCPFC. We were not going to walk away from WCPFC 13 without a measure to protect our observers.”
He added PNA didn’t get everything it hoped for but it “accomplished the majority” of its pre-WCPFC goals.
Other important accomplishments from the meeting included good progress being made on developing the skipjack tuna Harvest Strategy.
Action was taken to fix the Japanese CMM on Charters, data provisions in CMM for Rays, and the Emergency Rule standards to include NAF (North Atlantic Fisheries Format for data reporting).
A positive outcome was also achieved for PNA members with the exemption from the high seas FAD closure.
On the downside, no penalty for the United States longline fleet’s non-compliance with catch limits was assessed.
“Holding WCPFC members to account for violations of fishing limits will continue to be high on PNA’s agenda,” said Mr Kumoru.
