TEN Pacific nations conducted a joint military operation to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in international waters.
The maritime exercise focused on inspecting targeted fishing vessels within zones regulated by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).
Coordinated from the French military base in Nouméa, New Caledonia, joint forces conducted 40 fishing vessels inspections via 17 flights and boarded five ships according to WCPFC rules.
Illegal fishing in the Pacific is estimated to cause annual losses of between $USD4 billion and $USD9 billion each year.
The operation demonstrated interoperability through the use of various maritime and aerial assets from multiple nations including one Fijian and three French naval vessels, a US Coast Guard C-130 and Royal New Zealand Air Force P8 Poseidon aircraft.
Officers from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, France, and the Republic of Naoero were supported in their operations by New Zealand, Australia, and the United States.
France served as the coordinator for the activity through its inter-service headquarters in Nouméa. Under the current framework, one member of the Pacific Quad is responsible for activating the Allied Coordination Center and hosting partner personnel annually.
