PACIFIC nations are moving to turn a landmark South Pacific albacore tuna deal into enforceable rules, as the region begins work on the measures needed to put its new harvest strategy into effect.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission adopted the South Pacific Albacore Management Procedure in December, giving the fishery its first long-term, science-based framework for setting fishing levels.
The focus now is on the Implementing Arrangements, the practical rules that will determine how the plan is carried out across participating countries.
“The adoption of the South Pacific Albacore Management Procedure was a landmark achievement for our region, but its success ultimately depends on how effectively we implement it,” said Ludwig Kumoru, fisheries management director at the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency.
“The Implementing Arrangements will provide the practical framework that turns scientific advice into coordinated management action.
“They will give our members greater certainty, strengthen accountability, and ensure that the benefits of this important fishery continue to flow to Pacific communities while safeguarding the resource for future generations,” he said.
South Pacific albacore is one of the Pacific region’s most valuable tuna stocks, underpinning domestic longline fisheries, supporting thousands of livelihoods and contributing to government revenue and food security across Pacific Island countries, especially those south of the equator.
FFA ministers have also endorsed an allocation agreement that binds members south of the equator to in-zone allocations for stock, a move the agency says strengthens regional coordination and reflects the bloc’s push for a more unified approach to fisheries management.
“This achievement demonstrates what Pacific regionalism can accomplish,” Kumoru said.
“By working together, our members have shown that collaboration and a shared vision can deliver world-leading fisheries management.” Years of technical collaboration, scientific analysis and regional negotiations led to the December decision, which Pacific officials say is intended to keep the stock productive while preserving the economic benefits it delivers to island communities.
