In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Forum Foreign Ministers call for transparency over Pacific missile tests
2. PACIFIC — Marshall Islands backed to host 2029 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting
3. PACIFIC — High Seas Treaty faces biodiversity knowledge gap as most deep-sea species remain unnamed
4. AUST — Coalition condemns $20m bill for Fiji climate conference which Labor says is ‘critical to our nation’s future’
5. VAN — Vanuatu State House defends July pardons amid growing concerns
6. FIJI — Community unity key to fighting drugs in Fiji : Great Council of Chiefs
7. NZ — New Zealand PM Chris Luxon survived a leadership fight, but a greater challenge lies ahead
8. FIJI — Very dry conditions forecast across Fiji as El Niño continues
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa pushes stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at WCPFC meeting
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Former Fiji AG warns against conflating qoliqoli rights with Marine Areas Bill
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Two-thirds of Fijians without mobile phones rely on someone else’s device
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — SPREP fifth Executive Board Meeting underway in Samoa
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — SPREP marks 40 years of Noumea Convention, protecting natural resources and the marine environment
PAC – NUKE TEST/DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Forum Foreign Ministers call for transparency over Pacific missile tests
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—-Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers have called for greater transparency and reassurance over recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests in the Pacific, reaffirming the region’s commitment to peace, security and stability.
The Ministers made the call following discussions on the 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration and recent ICBM tests in the region at the 2026 Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting last Friday in Suva.
Ministers recognised the importance of a consensus-based regional position in elevating the Pacific’s concerns over peace and security.
They also stressed that states conducting ICBM tests must respect the sovereignty of Pacific Islands Forum members and act consistently with existing regional and international commitments.
“Ministers reflected on the timeliness of the 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration and discussed the recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests in the region.”
“Ministers recognised and reaffirmed the value of a consensus-based regional statement in elevating the importance of peace, security and stability in the Pacific region.”
“In light of concerns raised by a number of Pacific Islands Forum Members, Ministers called for transparency and reassurance.”
“They also emphasised the importance of all States conducting ICBM tests consistently with the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, the Treaty of Rarotonga, and respecting the sovereignty of Forum Members.”
The discussions come after China conducted a ballistic-missile test into the Pacific in July, its first known such test since September 2024.
The launch came just hours after Fiji and Australia signed a major defence treaty, marking Fiji’s first-ever security alliance.
The Forum Ministers’ position places renewed emphasis on the Pacific’s call for transparency and reassurance as regional security concerns grow.
The 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration provides a regional framework for reinforcing the Pacific’s identity as a zone of peace and for promoting dialogue, stability and respect for sovereignty….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Marshall Islands backed to host 2029 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— Forum Foreign Ministers have backed the Marshall Islands’ bid to host the 2029 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which would coincide with the country’s 50th anniversary of independence.
The support was among the outcomes of the 2026 Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting, where Ministers also reaffirmed the importance of regional unity and collective action in addressing challenges facing the Pacific.
Forum Foreign Ministers supported the expression of interest by the Government of the Marshall Islands to host the 2029 Leaders Meeting.
New Zealand will host the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in 2027, marking the first time in 14 years that Aotearoa will host the regional gathering.
Ministers also welcomed an update from the Government of Palau on arrangements for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and Related Meetings, which will be held later this year.
Forum Foreign Ministers reaffirmed that regionalism remains the Forum’s greatest advantage, with Members collectively setting priorities and advancing shared interests.
Ministers stressed the need to balance national perspectives with collective regional action.
They welcomed progress on implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Review of the Regional Architecture, while stressing the need to turn reforms into sustainable results that improve delivery for Forum Members.
Ministers also welcomed the response by Forum Leaders to emerging regional and global challenges, including the Leaders Statement on the Appeal for Global Peace, grounded in the Ocean of Peace Declaration.
They also highlighted the triggering of the Biketawa Declaration and the subsequent establishment of the Regional Response Mechanism as evidence of the regional system’s ability to respond quickly to transboundary challenges.
Ministers reaffirmed the importance of coherent and effective regional advocacy to advance shared Pacific interests and priorities.
They also considered progress on operationalising the Leaders Policy on Partnerships and commended work undertaken so far.
Ministers reaffirmed that the evidence-based process would inform the final decision by Forum Leaders on partnerships.
The final decision remains a political decision for Leaders and is expected to be taken in Palau at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and Related Meetings.
Ministers also reaffirmed their appreciation for partners of the Forum Family that have engaged in the partnerships process…..PACNEWS
PAC – BBNJ: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
High Seas Treaty faces biodiversity knowledge gap as most deep-sea species remain unnamed
By Sanjeshni Kumar
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—A landmark treaty to protect biodiversity on the high seas has entered into force, but scientists warn that much of the deep-sea life it seeks to conserve remains unknown.
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, which entered into force earlier this year after being ratified by more than 60 states, establishes the first legally binding global framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity beyond national waters. But researchers say effective implementation depends on identifying and monitoring species that remain unknown to science.
Speaking during a seminar on Taxonomy and Biodiversity in the Deep Sea, Research Scientist Dr Tammy Horton said identifying species is essential for measuring biodiversity, monitoring environmental change and assessing the impacts of human activities in the deep ocean.
{We need to be able to assess the damage, we need to be able to measure change in biodiversity as a result of these impacts, and we need to be able to monitor marine protected areas and monitor change in the deep sea, Horton said.
A study of the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a six-million-square-kilometre abyssal region where countries hold exploration contracts for polymetallic nodules, estimates it is home to between 6,000 and 8,000 species. Of those, more than 5,000 remain unnamed, while fewer than 500 have been formally described, leaving nearly 90 percent of the region’s biodiversity unknown to science.
She said that knowledge gap has significant implications for conservation and environmental management.
“We want to be able to manage this area. We want to be able to say how those impacts are happening. What is the impact of a nodule collector? If we can’t name them, we can’t compare the datasets,” she said.
Horton said taxonomy provides the baseline needed to determine what species are present, how ecosystems change over time and whether conservation measures or industrial activities, including deep-sea mining, are affecting biodiversity.
Formally describing a new species, however, is a lengthy process requiring detailed comparisons of physical characteristics, DNA analyses and publication under internationally recognised naming rules.
To help bridge that gap, scientists are developing temporary naming systems that allow researchers to consistently identify species and connect biodiversity records across international databases before formal descriptions are completed.
Dr Muriel Rabone, a researcher with the Natural History Museum’s Deep Sea Ecology and Systematics Group, said strengthening taxonomic knowledge and biodiversity data is becoming increasingly important as countries begin implementing the BBNJ Agreement.
“The key objective is the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction,” Rabone said.
She said the treaty introduces new transparency measures requiring researchers to notify planned deep-sea expeditions, assign unique identifiers to research cruises and marine genetic resources, and report how samples and data are used throughout the research process.
“The principles boil down to existing good scientific practice, so FAIR data—data that’s findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable—and that the samples are archived in a way that is clearly visible,” she said.
Rabone said the measures are designed to support fair and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources while improving transparency and international scientific collaboration.
For Pacific Island countries, including Fiji, the treaty complements existing biodiversity frameworks within national jurisdiction while creating opportunities for capacity building, technology transfer and participation in international marine research.
Rabone noted Fiji has undertaken “flagship work” in implementing access and benefit-sharing measures under the Nagoya Protocol, experience that could help inform implementation of the new treaty.
She said effective ocean governance ultimately depends on strengthening scientific knowledge.
“We need to iteratively improve knowledge of these deep-sea environments,” she said.
“Building that taxonomic knowledge base and then understanding that ecology, species ranges and species dispersal lead us to better understand what impacts may be of human activities on the seafloor or in the water column.
“For effective ocean policy, we really need to develop these knowledge systems and then put them into the process as well,” she said…. PACNEWS
AUST – PRE-COP31 MEET: 7 NEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Coalition condemns $20m bill for Fiji climate conference which Labor says is ‘critical to our nation’s future’
CANBERRA, 13 AUGUST 2027 (7 NEWS) —The federal government has defended spending $20 million (US$14.12 million) of taxpayers’ money on a global climate conference being held in Fiji, arguing Australia’s involvement is “critical to our nation’s future”.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has agreed to cover the costs of this year’s United Nations Climate Pre-Summit, despite the event not taking place in Australia.
More than $17 million (US$12 million) will reportedly be spent on event management, with a further $2 million (US$1.41 million allocated for broadcasting services and another $2 million (US$1.41 million) for resort accommodation.
Bowen has invited world leaders from the US, China, France, Japan, and the UK to attend, but none has confirmed they will come.
Housing Minister Clare O’Neil defended the spending on Sunrise on Wednesday, saying Australia needed to be leading discussions around climate.
“This conference is about Australia playing a leadership role in determining the world’s climate future, literally shaping the question of the kind of Australia that my children are going to grow up in,” O’Neil said.
“Whether we like it or not, these agreements will help determine things like how frequent and serious natural disasters are in our country, the livelihood of Australian farmers, the extent of erosion that we see around our country.”
O’Neil said Australia was among the nations with the most to lose if climate change continued on its current trajectory.
“We’ve got a lot to gain if the world does the right thing and acts … we should be really proud that Australia is playing a leadership role in trying to guide the world on a better path,” she said.
Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash slammed the spending as an “absolute disgrace” while Australians struggled with cost-of-living pressures.
“You actually can’t make this up. Luxury resorts, luxury islands, you know, event planners, Chris Bowen spending taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” Cash told Sunrise.
“Australians are just sick and tired of the Labor government splashing around their hard-earned money while they struggle to pay their power bills, while they struggle to pay their mortgage, while they’re cutting back at the supermarket.”
Cash called on the government to focus on domestic priorities, including lowering household energy costs.
“They have an ideological obsession when it comes to energy at the expense of the Australian people,” she said.
“Let’s focus on getting energy costs down for the Australian taxpayer.
“And that is at the heart of the Coalition’s plan. Scrap net zero, get rid of Labor’s carbon taxes and ensure that the Australian people have affordable, reliable energy, not luxury hotels, resort islands and event planners.”
O’Neil rejected the criticism, arguing it would be “irresponsible” for Australia not to take a leadership role on climate change.
“We’re literally determining the future of our climate, how many natural disasters we have, how frequent and serious they are, how we support our agriculture and our farming industries in Australia,” she said.
“I understand people look at these dollars and it feels like a lot of money, and I really respect and appreciate that, but these are critically important conversations and we do need Australia to be at the front of the discussion.”
She said the conference was “critical to our nation’s future”.
“We have every piece of evidence we could want to show us that one of the reasons we’ve got issues with energy as a country is because the Liberals and the Nationals spent nine years with their heads in the sand, many of them denying that climate change is even happening when we can see it around us already.
“It is absolutely in our national interest to lead this conversation globally, and that’s what we are doing,” she said”…PACNEWS
VAN – PARDON: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Vanuatu State House defends July pardons amid growing concerns
PORT VILA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST)—Vanuatu’s State House has defended President Moli Nikenike Vurobaravu’s decision to grant pardons to inmates in July, saying the exercise was based on individual circumstances and was not carried out randomly.
The defence comes amid growing public concern over the transparency of the pardoning process, after Prime Minister Jotham Napat raised concerns with the President over the inclusion of two people convicted of rape.
The State House said President Vurobaravu exercised his constitutional power of mercy under Article 38 of the Constitution, which gives the President the power to pardon a person convicted of an offence or commute or reduce a sentence.
It said the power is vested directly in the Office of the President and is separate from the judicial, parole and correctional processes.
The State House rejected suggestions that the pardons granted on 23 July were made arbitrarily or without consideration of the circumstances of those involved.
It said applications for mercy can be supported by a range of information, including petitions from inmates, reference letters from chiefs and traditional leaders, and representations from churches and family members.
Information on an inmate’s conduct, circumstances and rehabilitation can also be considered, along with medical reports and professional assessments where serious medical conditions are involved.
The State House said such information enables the President to consider the circumstances of each individual case.
The State House also clarified that Parliament has not established an advisory committee on pardons under Article 38.
It said there is therefore currently no such committee and the President is not required to obtain a recommendation from a body that Parliament has not established before exercising his constitutional power.
The State House said a pardon is a discretionary act of mercy and is not an automatic right for convicted people.
It also said the Constitution does not require a person to serve a minimum period of imprisonment before an application can be considered, nor does Article 38 set out a detailed statutory eligibility test.
The State House referred to previous Supreme Court consideration of the President’s powers under Article 38, including circumstances where no advisory committee has been established.
It also said courts have recognised that decisions involving the prerogative of mercy are, in almost every instance, not subject to judicial review.
The State House said rehabilitation is part of Vanuatu’s broader correctional approach, which has shifted from imprisonment being viewed mainly as punishment and confinement to a system that also focuses on rehabilitation, reform and reintegration.
It said inmates retain their dignity and remain members of the community, while correctional centres are intended, where practicable, to provide opportunities for rehabilitation, education, counselling, skills development and preparation for reintegration.
Humanitarian circumstances, including serious medical conditions, family responsibilities, reconciliation and rehabilitation, may also be considered when an application for mercy is assessed.
The State House stressed that consideration of such factors does not diminish the seriousness of an offence or interfere with the courts’ role in determining criminal responsibility and imposing sentences.
It said the power of mercy does not overturn a lawful court judgment but allows the Head of State to consider circumstances relating to mercy, humanity, rehabilitation, reform and the wider public interest.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat met President Vurobaravu earlier this week to raise concerns about the July pardons.
Napat specifically raised concern over the inclusion of two people convicted of rape and said he would ask the President to revoke the decisions.
The Government has now left the matter with the President to determine the way forward.
Opposition figure Kalsakau has also questioned the transparency of the process, calling for closer scrutiny of how individuals are selected and assessed for pardons.
“We should look at the process that leads towards the exercise of the President’s power, and if the people involved need to be questioned, then they should be. If some process needs to start to examine whether they made proper decisions and proper evaluations, then something like that needs to happen.”
The State House acknowledged the public interest in presidential pardons and said greater institutional guidance could help future Presidents and improve public understanding and confidence in the process.
It said any changes would be a matter for the appropriate constitutional and legislative authorities.
The State House reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, constitutional compliance and the responsible exercise of the President’s powers…..PACNEWS
FIJI – DRUGS FIGHT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Community unity key to fighting drugs in Fiji : Great Council of Chiefs
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) says growing community awareness of the threat posed by illicit drugs is strengthening efforts to protect villages and communities from the drug problem.
GCC chairman Ratu Viliame Seruvakula said the growing awareness was one of the positive outcomes of efforts to encourage communities to embrace the spirit of solesolevaki (working collectively) to address social ills, including illicit drug use.
He said the approach was gaining ground because solesolevaki was already deeply embedded in iTaukei communities, where people traditionally worked together to protect and support one another.
“We have our people now becoming aware of the forces that threaten our peace and, with that self-awareness, people are standing up and putting their foot down, demanding the change they want for a better future for their children,” he said.
The Government, through the Ministry of Policing, has been promoting various solesolevaki initiatives to upskill villagers, increase awareness of the seriousness of Fiji’s drug problem and highlight the collective role communities must play in addressing it.
Last month, Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalurua used the Solesolevaki ni Veitaqomaki initiative by the United Nations Development Programme to promote maritime safety on two fronts — guarding Fiji’s waters against drug trafficking syndicates following the recent discoveries of white parcels, while also encouraging safer travel and survival skills during emergencies.
Ratu Viliame said community cooperation was not a new concept.
“It has been in existence within our iTaukei communities since the inception of time. It was always within every Fijian setting.
“The very fabric of our community exists with every one of us working and depending on each other to create a harmonious environment.”
Government, religious and traditional leaders have collectively acknowledged that the fight against drugs cannot be won by enforcement agencies alone and requires the involvement of communities…..PACNEWS
NZ – POLITICS: SBS PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
New Zealand PM Chris Luxon survived a leadership fight, but a greater challenge lies ahead
WELLINGTON, 13 AUGUST 2026 (SBS)—Chris Luxon will box on as New Zealand prime minister after winning a caucus confidence vote, defying doubters in and outside his party after a run of gaffes that imperilled his premiership.
The National leader called a crunch meeting of his partyroom on Wednesday to end speculation around his future.
A leadership change looked on after NZ Herald reported growing dissatisfaction with Luxon’s performance, three months out from the 7 November election.
Instead, Luxon emerged victorious from the lengthy meeting, claiming to have united the party and pledging to win a second term for his conservative coalition.
“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting, and I have the full support of our caucus,” he said, in a 75-second appearance without taking questions.
“Now we’re going back to work, and we’re moving on.”
Luxon’s office later revealed low-profile defence minister Chris Penk challenged for the leadership in the meeting.
The prime minister then sacked him for doing so, leaving Penk to announce his intention to leave politics at the November election.
Wednesday’s vote followed a similar caucus showdown in April, when Luxon brought on and won a confidence vote to silence his critics.
The margin of each vote is a tightly held secret, though media outlets have reported the April result was 27-22 in Luxon’s favour.
Rather than Penk, Wellington newspaper The Post reported Erica Stanford, the education minister, was the most likely challenger.
The 48-year-old never confirmed this, and was served a brutal backhander by colleague Nicola Grigg, the minister for women, on the way to the meeting.
“She’s a good friend of mine, but she’s not a prime minister,” Grigg said.
Most observers tipped a successful spill.
One political editor described Luxon’s leadership as “hanging by a thread” on Tuesday night, and another rated his survival as “incredibly unlikely”, making his victory a defiant and triumphant moment for Luxon.
Mentored by party messiah John Key, the 56-year-old former Air New Zealand chief executive enjoyed a meteoric rise in politics.
He entered parliament in 2020, became opposition leader in 2021 and won the 2023 election.
However, he has endured a tough run in the top job, failing to deliver on key campaign pledges to improve New Zealand’s misfiring economy and tackle government waste.
His corporate communication style is routinely mocked, and his poor personal popularity is widely seen as a key reason behind National’s plunging poll fortunes, from 38 percent at the election, to a poll average of 29 percent.
A run of recent gaffes brought about the second leadership vote.
Luxon told battling small business owners in Rotorua they were “negative” and should instead be “retooling and radically disrupting your business”.
He also defended his use of a defence force plane to fly home after a party fundraiser — a shocking look for a leader who was forced to return a housing entitlement to stay at his own mortgage-free property.
Luxon has also been pushed around by NZ First leader and foreign minister Winston Peters, who in July caused outrage by telling a China-born Greens MP to “go back to your own country” in parliament.
While Luxon said the 81-year-old maverick’s comment was racist, he did not sanction or sack him.
Despite the drama, the National-led coalition remains on course to win re-election on 7 November.
While the contest is tight, the right bloc has consistently kept an edge over the left bloc of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, also known as the Māori Party.
The race has been challenged in recent months by the emergence of newcomer party Opportunity, which hit eight percent support in a TVNZ poll released on Wednesday.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the leadership shenanigans showed National was in disarray.
“New Zealanders have had a gutful of politicians fighting amongst themselves … at a time when New Zealanders need them to be fighting for them,” he said……PACNEWS
FIJI – WEATHER WATCH: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Very dry conditions forecast across Fiji as El Niño continues
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Very dry conditions are expected across large parts of Fiji in the coming weeks and months as El Niño conditions continue, according to the Fiji Meteorological Service’s Early Action Rainfall Watch.
The latest outlook indicates a high chance of very dry conditions across several parts of the country 15 between 15 and 28 August.
Areas facing a high chance of very dry conditions include the Northern Division, Yasawa Group, Viwa, the Nausori to Navua corridor, eastern interior of Viti Levu, northern Kadavu, Moala, Totoya, the Lau Group and Rotuma.
The rest of the Fiji Group has a medium chance of experiencing very dry conditions during the same period.
The outlook for August indicates an even greater risk for some areas.
Rotuma faces a very high chance of very dry conditions, while parts of the southern Lau Group have a high chance.
The Western, Central and Northern divisions, Lomaiviti Group, Moala Group and northern Lau Group have a medium chance of very dry conditions during August.
The outlook becomes more widespread over the August to October period.
The Fiji Meteorological Service says there is a very high chance of very dry conditions for the southern Yasawa Group, Viwa, Mamanuca Group, the Ba to Nadi coastal area, Udu Point, Rabi, Qamea, Gau, Nairai, the Moala Group, Lau Group and Rotuma.
The remainder of Fiji faces a high chance of very dry conditions during the three-month period.
The outlook comes as El Niño is currently underway.
The Early Action Rainfall Watch is designed to provide the Fiji National Disaster Risk Management Office and other disaster management agencies with information on recent rainfall patterns and expected rainfall conditions for the coming months.
The outlook provides authorities with advance information to support preparedness and early action as dry conditions develop across the country….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
SAMOA – FISHERIES: TALAMUA MEDIA/PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Samoa pushes stronger fish stock monitoring and EEZ security at WCPFC meeting
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA/PACNEWS)—Samoa is pushing for stronger monitoring of fish stocks and greater protection of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) scientific session gets underway in Apia.
Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Fisheries Roseti Imo said effective monitoring and management of fish stocks was critical to ensuring Pacific countries benefit from their marine resources.
He warned that without proper monitoring of national EEZs, only a small number of countries could benefit from the region’s fisheries resources, making cooperation and partnerships essential.
Imo said fisheries had been a backbone of Samoa’s economy, but rising fuel and equipment costs had made the sector increasingly difficult to sustain.
He said the Tuna Commission process was about more than establishing fisheries laws, with countries also sharing data, scientific knowledge and management methods to ensure fish stocks remain sustainable.
Samoa is using its hosting of the WCPFC scientific session to raise regional concerns around fisheries management and maritime security.
It is working with Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji on operations to monitor the Blue Pacific, including illegal fishing, illegal drugs and trafficking.
Imo said Samoa is also working to coordinate EEZ boundary issues with Tonga, Niue, New Zealand, Wallis and Futuna and American Samoa.
“It is important to monitor and maintain the security of E-Zones,” he said.
Scientific information presented at the meeting will provide countries with assessments and projections on the condition of fish stocks.
Imo said the data would help determine the status of stocks, catch levels and where fish stocks are concentrated, providing information needed by the Commission to develop advice and management measures.
He said conservation and management measures governing the fisheries sector were among the key issues being discussed.
Samoa’s fisheries relationship with the United States is also a major part of its management of the EEZ.
Under a treaty agreement, US fishing vessels are permitted to fish within Samoa’s EEZ, with Samoa receiving US$2.3 million.
“They fish, take the stock and pay us US$2.3m,” said Imo.
Asked how often U.S vessels can fish in Samoa’s EEZ, Imo said they could do so at any time as long as they paid the required fee.
He said the vessels are monitored through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ monitoring system.
Samoa previously had fishing agreements with a company in Taiwan.
Imo commended Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt for bringing the WCPFC meeting to Samoa and for taking a leading role in negotiations with international fishing companies to secure reasonable payments for the 17 members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency.
The WCPFC meeting opened on Monday and is scheduled to continue for two weeks.
The session is being held in Samoa for the first time, giving Pacific countries an opportunity to raise concerns over fish stocks, fisheries management and the security of their maritime zones….PACNEWS
FIJI – MARINE AREAS BILL: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Former Fiji AG warns against conflating qoliqoli rights with Marine Areas Bill
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has urged lawmakers and stakeholders not to conflate traditional qoliqoli fishing rights with the Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill, saying the two issues need to be considered separately.
Sayed-Khaiyum made the comments before the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights during its consideration of the Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill (Bill No. 42 of 2025).
He rejected suggestions that opposition to the Bill would amount to opposition to qoliqoli rights.
“Let’s not try and conflict the issue. Nor should we try and obfuscate the issue,” Sayed-Khaiyum said.
“Saying, ‘Oh, anybody opposing this Bill means they don’t believe in qoliqoli rights.’ That’s nonsense. That’s nonsennonsense.”
He said qoliqoli rights are already recognised under the Fisheries Act and need to be properly enforced in areas where they apply.
Sayed-Khaiyum said there were also examples of qoliqoli owners reaching arrangements with tourism operators that provided financial benefits through mechanisms such as profit sharing and compensation.
He said the question of compensation could become more complicated in areas where fishing resources had been depleted.
“One particular revenue in government, one of the landowners said, ‘We actually no longer—there’s no fish here. We actually can’t fish. There’s nothing here now.’”
Sayed-Khaiyum said this raised the question of how much compensation, if any, should be provided, with such matters potentially being subject to negotiation.
He also cautioned against arrangements that provide immediate lump-sum payments without considering the long-term interests of younger generations.
“Sometimes we’ve seen in some places where qoliqoli owners demand a lump sum. Just give us half a million dollars now,” he said.
While acknowledging that landowners may receive a substantial payment, Sayed-Khaiyum questioned the impact of permanently giving up a particular fishing right.
“How is it going to affect the young kids who suddenly will become adults who want to fish? You’ve given away that particular right.”
He said a long-term approach was needed, particularly because the benefits and consequences of decisions made today could extend to future generations.
Sayed-Khaiyum also described the relationship between landowners and tourism operators as potentially “symbiotic”, saying successful commercial developments could increase the value of surrounding land and create further economic opportunities.
He said the issue should therefore not be viewed simply as a one-off transaction, but in terms of sustainable and long-term benefits for communities and future generations…..PACNEWS
FIJI – MOBILE PHONES: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Two-thirds of Fijians without mobile phones rely on someone else’s device
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES)–More than two-thirds of Fijians who do not personally own a mobile phone regularly use someone else’s device, highlighting the importance of phone sharing in maintaining access to communication and digital services.
The Fiji Financial Services Demand Side Survey 2025 found that 68 percent of non-mobile phone owners regularly use another person’s mobile phone or SIM.
The practice is particularly common among women and younger Fijians.
According to the survey, 74 percent of women without their own mobile phone regularly use someone else’s device, compared with 60 percent of men.
The rate was also 74 percent among people aged 15 to 35, compared with 61 percent among those aged 36 to 55 and 69 percent for the 56 to 65 age group.
Among those aged 66 and above, 54 percent regularly relied on another person’s phone.
The survey also reveals a significant rural-urban difference, with 72 percent of rural non-phone owners using someone else’s device compared with 62 percent in urban areas.
It suggests the higher levels of sharing among women, young people and rural residents may indicate a greater need for mobile phones among these groups.
Making calls or sending messages was by far the most common reason for sharing a device, cited by 76 percent of respondents.
About 51 percent used another person’s phone to access the internet, while smaller proportions used shared devices to receive money, send money, make payments, access mobile money accounts, buy airtime or for entertainment.
The survey found women were slightly more likely than men to share a phone to access the internet, make payments or send and receive money.
Among Fijians who did not own a mobile phone, 14 percent reported using another person’s device to make a payment, while seven percent did so regularly……PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
SPREP fifth Executive Board Meeting underway in Samoa
APIA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (SPREP)— The collective collaborative effort to cushion Pacific communities against the impacts of the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution continues to be the core of the work of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
SPREP Director General, Sefanaia Nawadra, delivered the reassurance to members and partners at the fifth Executive Board Meeting (5EBM) underway in Samoa this week.
“We gather today as Pacific communities continue to face increasing environmental challenges and pressure from climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and disaster risks,” he said.
“SPREP works according to the mandate given to us by our member states and noting the linkages between the impacts of the triple planetary crises continues to be the core of the work that we do.”
The Executive Board established in 2015, to meet in alternate years to the SPREP Meeting, is guided by principles of environmental leadership, equity, transparency, accountability, flexibility, economy and sustainability in line with the practices and procedures of the Pacific region.
Director General Mr Nawadra welcomed the membership of the fifth Executive Board comprising of the Troika, the United Kingdom, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna and Fiji as representative for Melanesia, Cook Islands for Polynesia, the Federated States of Micronesia for Micronesia, Australia for the Metropolitan Members, and France for the French-speaking members.
Nawadra highlighted the importance of the meeting this week.
“We have the opportunity here today to be able to evaluate the progress since the 32nd SPREP Meeting, through the presentation of the Annual Report, and the Performance Implementation Plan,” he said.
“We also have the opportunity to look at the ongoing governance of SPREP, making sure we are looking after the resources, we’ve been given responsibly.
“At this meeting, we will look at the zero draft of SPREP’s next Strategic Plan, something we have been developing with you, and will be presented at next year’s SPREP Meeting.”
SPREP is the regional organisation established by the Governments and Administrations of the Pacific charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources of the Pacific.
Its mandate is to promote cooperation in the Pacific region and provide assistance in order to protect and improve its environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations.
The Director General reiterated SPREP has fully and actively engaged regionally and globally to ensure the performance of its functions.
“This week, we have an opportunity to look at how SPREP has engaged widely within the regional context especially with CROP, as we look to the implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and ongoing review of the regional architecture,” he said.
“We also have an opportunity to update you on some key international engagements, especially COP31 which we all know is a key moment for us in the Pacific.
“There is also the CBD COP and other work, noting that the linkages between the triple planetary crises we face continues to be core to the work of work.”
The meeting, blessed by Reverend Dr. Wesley Taotua at the start, is chaired by Wallis and Futuna.
The fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting (5EBM) is held at the Pacific Climate Change Centre/SPREP from 12-13 August 2026.
SPREP’s Executive Board includes the Troika of past, present and future chairpersons of the SPREP Meeting, and representatives of Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Metropolitan, and French speaking Member countries of SPREP.
The 21 Pacific Island Member countries and territories of SPREP are: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.
The five Metropolitan members of SPREP are Australia, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
In our efforts to fulfil our vision of ‘a resilient Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures’, SPREP is extremely grateful to our valued Members, development partners, donors, our CROP family, and stakeholders. ….PACNEWS
For more information on fourth SPREP Executive Board Meeting, please contact: sprep@sprep.org
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
SPREP marks 40 years of Noumea Convention, protecting natural resources and the marine environment
APIA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (SPPREP)—The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) today celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region, better known as the Noumea Convention.
The celebration took place on the margins of the fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting convened at SPREP headquarters in Apia, Samoa.
Opened for signature in Noumea, New Caledonia on 25 November 1986, the Convention and its two original protocols, the Protocol for the Prevention of Pollution of the South Pacific Region by Dumping and the Protocol on Cooperation in Combating Pollution Emergencies in the South Pacific Region, were the foundation of what is now a comprehensive regional multilateral environmental agreement dedicated to the protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of the region.
“The Noumea Convention has travelled from a single meeting room in 1986 to every coastline, lagoon and deep sea trench in our region,” said Director General of SPREP, Sefanaia Nawadra.
“Forty years on, with Tuvalu recently joined and a new workplan endorsed by the 18th COP, proof is renewed that small Pacific states when they speak with one voice can shape rules for one of the world’s largest oceans.”
Today, 12 member countries are contracting parties to the original convention. There has been a growing interest on the Noumea Convention as a potential platform to link and strengthen the oceans, biodiversity and climate change nexus.
“This occasion allows us to honour the vision and foresight of our forefathers and Pacific leaders whose commitment laid the foundation for a strong regional framework”, said Senivasa Waqairamasi, Director Climate Change, of Fiji who delivered the remarks on behalf of the Contracting Parties.
The ACP MEAs 3 programme, funded by the European Union through the United Nations Environment Programme and implemented in the Pacific by SPREP and UNEP across fifteen Pacific countries, has been one of the enablers of the convention’s post-2020 revival, supporting awareness products, capacity building events and cross MEA implementation.
The anniversary programme is a celebration of the convention as a living instrument that has shaped the way the Pacific protects, manages and develops its marine and coastal environment over the past four decades.
Across those four decades the Convention has given the Pacific its legal anchor for ocean cooperation; it has underpinned the regional marine pollution response system that still operates through PACPOL and PACPLAN.
The Noumea Convention continues to be a valuable legal instrument that has informed Pacific positions in emerging issues and global negotiations including the BBNJ Treaty, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; and the plastics treaty negotiations.
With the recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice on Obligations of States in respect of climate change, the Noumea Convention is even more relevant as a regional treaty that holistically addresses environmental issues including today’s climate and oceans challenges.
Today, the Secretariat continues to support not only the Parties to the Noumea Convention but also non-Party members through building awareness and capacity on the Convention and its Protocols and its application to environmental issues both at the national and regional level given their transboundary nature.
As the convention lives at the national level as much as at the regional level, the strongest evidence of what it delivers for the pacific is the way members are continuing to put it to work in their own countries.
That country level work has gathered real pace since 2025. Tuvalu moved from an expression of intent to formal ratification through the deposit of its Instrument of Ratification to the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat as the Depository. Tuvalu officially becomes a party to the Noumea Convention on the 16 August 2026. Vanuatu’s interest to accede, while more recent is equally deliberate with the support of SPREP through a dedicated national workshop convened under the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT) Climate Funding that mapped a clear domestic pathway to accession.
Forty years on from the first meeting, the convention the Pacific wrote together remains the open horizon for what comes next. What marks this anniversary for the Noumea Convention is not the years counted but that the document itself continues to be recognised by each party that ratifies, by each member that accedes, by each national workshop and by each decision of the Conference of the Parties that strengthens the pacific cooperation.
Looking ahead, SPREP and its members have committed to accelerate accession to the 2006 protocols by remaining members and to keep the convention as the regional platform through which the pacific will approach the next global plastic pollution negotiations, the post-2025 biodiversity agenda and the next decade of work on ocean governance.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is the Secretariat for the Noumea Convention through its Legal Services and Governing Bodies Department, with support from the Environmental Governance, the Waste Management and Pollution Control Programmes and the Biodiversity Conservation Programme.
The Convention currently brings together thirteen official Parties, drawn from across SPREP membership: the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands alongside the metropolitan members Australia, New Zealand, France and the United States of America.
The Noumea 40th Anniversary was made possible through the funding support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs….PACNEWS
For more information on the Noumea Convention, please visit https://www.sprep.org/convention-secretariat/noumea-convention or contact Kathleen Taituave – Afereti, SPREP’s Environmental Law and Policy Officer at kathleent@sprep.org
