THE Pacific continues to remain the only region in the world where all four major tuna stocks—skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore—are biologically healthy.
And Forum Fisheries Agency Director General, Noan Pakop, has pointed to strong results in tackling Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, with losses reduced from $USD152 million in 2016 to $USD43 million in 2021.
Pakop told Pacific leaders in Honiara earlier this month that the region had made major gains in the industry in fisheries cooperation and development, while calling for continued vigilance against ongoing challenges.
“Our Blue Pacific Continent spans over 30 million square kilometres and over 20% of the world’s EEZs,’’ Pakop said.
“Within it, tuna is our region’s common currency – sustaining government revenues, livelihoods, food security, and employment. These benefits are only secure when we work together, upholding maritime sovereignty and exercising vigilance against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.’’
He urged Leaders to extend monitoring, control, and surveillance frameworks to the high seas, strengthen investment in technology and data sharing, as well as coordinated enforcement – and integrate fisheries surveillance into broader regional security frameworks.
“By resourcing our joint surveillance and staying united, we will ensure that our Blue Pacific fisheries continue to underpin resilience, security, and sustainable development for generations to come,” he said.