In this bulletin:
1. USA — Democrats win U.S House and Senate, taking full control of Congress
2. PACIFIC — Guam elects democrat, Northern Marianas retains republican delegate as American Samoa re-elects Amata
3. HAWAII — Democrat Josh Green wins reelection for governor in Hawaii
4. SAMOA — Samoa underfire at UN over media freedom restrictions
5. FIJI — Fiji warns world off track on 22 biodiversity targets
6. FIJI — Fiji Parliament adds five sitting days for final Constitution Bill debate
7. NZ — ‘An uprising with my generation’: Young Pacific voters on the future they want
8. FIJI — PM Rabuka buying time to secure votes, claims Unity Fiji leader Narube
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Royal New Zealand Navy supports the Cook Islands in pursuit of illegal fishers
10. PACNEWS BIZ — FFA joins Pacific call for resilient food systems
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Energy Fiji Limited union questions 27.3 percent management pay rise against 5 percent workers’ offer
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Pacific Scientists build a regional picture of a changing Ocean
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific Fisheries should commit to Biodegradable Fish Aggregating Devices
USA – MIDTERM ELECTIONS: AP PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Democrats win U.S House and Senate, taking full control of Congress
WASHINGTON, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (AP)–Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, delivering a decisive rebuke of Republican governance in Washington and ushering in a new era of congressional resistance to President Donald Trump.
Tuesday’s midterm elections laid bare voters’ deep frustrations over high prices, the Iran war and concerns over government corruption. Democrats routed their rivals across the map, flipping states that have voted Republican for decades and that Trump won by double digits just two years ago.
That includes James Talarico’s stunning Senate victory in Texas, where no Democrat had won statewide office in more than 30 years, and Annie Andrews’ upset victory over Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina. Trump had thrown his full weight behind both losing candidates.
In Michigan, progressive Abdul El-Sayed — one of a crop of left-wing candidates who prevailed in Democratic primaries — topped Republican Mike Rogers. Even Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a battle-tested survivor of difficult elections, lost to Democrat Troy Jackson.
The results marked a fundamental unraveling of the coalition that returned Trump to the White House two years ago, with young people and Latinos moving away from Republicans, according to The AP Voter Poll. Only about one-third of Hispanic voters said they backed the Republican in their local U.S. House races.
It was all a major blow to Trump, who spent nearly every day of the last month holding rallies to energise his supporters but was unable to stop a wipeout.
While Trump has proven adept at steamrolling efforts to rein him in, Democratic control will profoundly reshape Trump’s final two years in office and hamstring his legislative agenda.
Party leaders have signaled they’ll use their new power to ensure Trump’s final two years in office are dominated by a series of investigations of top members of his administration and deeper scrutiny of how he’s enriched his family. Impeachment of Trump and his Cabinet officials is not off the table. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and tech titan Elon Musk, a former top Trump adviser, are among possible targets for investigations.
In celebratory events Tuesday night, Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer called the results a “generational remake of the Senate map.” Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries said “the American people are crying out for transformational change.”
Trump immediately sought to shift blame for his party’s losses, posting on his social media site before polls even closed on the West Coast that he wasn’t on the ballot — even though he spent weeks asking voters to act like he was. He vowed to veto Democrat-controlled legislation, sharing a picture of a red baseball cap with “VETO” stenciled in the style of his trademark “Make America Great Again” campaign swag.
In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump said he didn’t consider the elections to be a personal defeat. Voters, he said, “didn’t like the candidates.”
Democrats had braced for Trump to again try to undermine the results if they won after he warned that noncitizens would cast ballots en masse and filed lawsuits in Alaska and California. Instead, he said on Fox that he would accept them.
Despite the results, Senate Majority Leader John Thune wrote on X that “Senate Republicans will not stand idly by as the far-left, socialist wing of the Democrat Party attempts to unwind everything we’ve done.” He said they will work with Trump “to stop the worst impulses of Democrat extremism.”
Midterm elections are typically difficult for the president’s party, but Republicans had originally expected that their Senate majority was safe. Instead, Democrats marched through some of the most conservative states in the nation.
Josh Turek defeated Representative Ashley Hinson in Iowa, while Adam Hamilton ousted Senator Roger Marshall in Kansas to become the state’s first Democratic senator since 1932. A cascade of surprising Democratic victories included Talarico defeating Ken Paxton in Texas, Andrews upsetting Graham in South Carolina, Sherrod Brown topping Senator Jon Husted in Ohio and Roy Cooper taking an open North Carolina seat.
Trump played an outsized role in many of the races. He endorsed the scandal-plagued Paxton and helped him defeat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas primary, even as Republican officials warned his efforts could be costly. He sharply criticised North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who opted not to seek reelection. He also supported Graham, despite doubts within the party that she was the right candidate to replace her brother, who died unexpectedly earlier this year.
Less of a surprise was Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff winning reelection in Georgia, defeating Representative Mike Collins. Represetative Chris Pappas also won a Senate race in New Hampshire, defeating former Senator John Sununu to replace retiring Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
One outstanding Senate battleground was Alaska, where the Trump administration filed a lawsuit to block certification of Senate results if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses the race, citing the presence of a second candidate named Dan Sullivan on the ballot. Mississippi’s Senate race remained too early to call.
In the House, Democrats reached deeply into Trump-won territory to defeat his preferred candidates and win in even some of the most Republican states. There were multiple Democratic pickups in Iowa, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania and new Democratic seats in Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Utah. In Iowa, there was an all-Republican congressional delegation going into the election. Democrats will now represent three of them.
Bracing for a tough night, Republicans had spent the campaign’s final stretch pumping tens of millions of dollars into states and districts that Trump won handily two years ago, as Trump campaigned in heavily red areas. But even Republicans’ money advantage didn’t stem the Democratic tide.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” Trump wrote on his social media site.
Voters were sour heading into Tuesday, deeply unhappy with the country’s direction and pessimistic about the future, according to The AP Voter Poll.
Most said they felt frustrated, with about three-quarters saying they felt “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the country’s current trajectory. Dissatisfaction was particularly high in blue states, but even in red states, a majority of voters were at least “dissatisfied.”
The economy was key to Trump’s White House comeback two years ago. But the poll found that three-quarters of voters said the economy is “not so good” or “poor.” About 8 in 10 said inflation has caused a “severe” or “moderate” financial hardship for their households.
Government corruption was also a big issue with voters. Roughly half cited it and the cost of living as “crucial” to their vote for Congress — higher than immigration enforcement policies, the war in Iran and artificial intelligence data centres. About 6 in 10 voters said Trump prioritises his own personal interests more than the country’s interests.
Despite their relative advantage on issues, the Democratic Party was not much more popular with voters than the Republicans. Just under half of voters said they have a “somewhat” or “strongly” favorable view of the Democratic Party, while about 4 in 10 viewed Republicans positively.
Republicans tried to buck historical midterm precedent with an aggressive redistricting effort aimed at creating a more favorable congressional map. But in Florida and Texas, where Republicans hoped to pick up as many as nine seats, the plan fell short, with Democrats picking up targeted districts.
Beyond Washington, 36 states elected governors. Democrats Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, JB Pritzker in Illinois, Wes Moore in Maryland, Maura Healey in Massachusetts and Kathy Hochul in New York all won reelection. In a stunning upset in Texas, Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who was seeking a fourth term.
In Ohio, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy lost to Democrat Amy Acton after his campaign faced backlash for an ad featuring Acton’s estranged mother, who lost custody of Acton decades ago after her husband, Acton’s stepfather, was indicted for raping Acton as a child.
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms of Georgia will be the first Black female governor of any state. In neighbouring Florida, Byron Donalds became the nation’s first Black Republican to be elected governor.
Jeffries, in line to make history as the nation’s first Black speaker of the House, has outlined a 100-day agenda focused on lowering the cost of living and aggressively overseeing the Trump administration.
The especially strong showing for Democrats could boost the party’s large crop of potential presidential candidates. It may also complicate the paths of Vice President JD Vance and other Republicans who may have been looking to turn their loyalty to Trump into momentum. …PACNEWS
PAC – MIDTERM ELECTIONS: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Guam elects democrat, Northern Marianas retains republican delegate as American Samoa re-elects Amata
HAGATNA/SAIPAN/PAGOPAGO, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Guam has elected Democrat Alicia Limtiaco to represent the U.S territory in Congress, while the Northern Mariana Islands has retained its Republican delegate and American Samoa has re-elected Aumua Amata in the 2026 US midterm elections.
Limtiaco defeated Republican incumbent James Moylan, securing 15,645 votes, or 51 percent, against Moylan’s 14,983 votes, representing 48.84 percent.
Moylan conceded the race and congratulated Limtiaco on her victory.
The result marks a shift in Guam’s congressional representation from Republican to Democrat.
In the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Republican Delegate Kim King-Hinds secured re-election in a landslide, retaining the territory’s seat in the US House of Representatives.
The gubernatorial race remains headed for a runoff, with Joaquin DLG Torres finishing first with 49.5 percent of the vote.
Torres will face the second-place candidate in the runoff after the election results failed to produce an outright winner.
In other CNMI races, Republican Vinnie Sablan topped the Saipan Senate contest, while Democrat Celina Babauta secured re-election.
In American Samoa, incumbent Delegate Aumua Amata was re-elected with 60.7 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns from the territory’s Election Office.
The results also covered elections for the American Samoa House of Representatives across all 17 legislative districts.
The three US Pacific territories elect non-voting delegates to the U.S House of Representatives, who can participate in congressional proceedings and committees but cannot vote on final passage of legislation on the House floor…. PACNEWS
HAWAII – MIDTERM ELECTIONS: HONOLULU STAR ADVERTISER PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Democrat Josh Green wins reelection for governor in Hawaii
HONOLULU, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (HONOLULU STAR ADVERTISER)—Hawaii Governor Josh Green handily won reelection today, defeating the Republican ticket of Gary Cordery and running mate Daniel Anthony by a record margin to secure a second four-year term.
Green’s running mate, outgoing Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami, will serve as lieutenant governor.
Green and Kawakami’s ticket secured a commanding victory over Cordery and Anthony, receiving 75 percent of the vote compared with the Republican ticket’s 25 percent of the vote after the second printout results were released Wednesday.
Green defeated Cordery by 50 percentage points, which is a gubernatorial record in Hawaii, topping former Governor David Ige’s 2018 reelection margin of victory. Ige, with Green as his running mate, defeated Republican Andria Tupola — now a Honolulu City Council member — and her running mate, Marissa Kerns, by about 29 percentage points.
The results would extend Democratic control of the governor’s office in a state where the party has dominated statewide elections for decades.
Green campaigned on continuing efforts to address Hawaii’s high cost of living, housing shortage, homelessness and rising energy costs.
Kauhale villages — small communities of homes intended to provide people experiencing homelessness with stable housing and access to support services — have been a central part of his approach.
He said he plans to expand the villages during a second term, alongside efforts to protect middle-class tax relief, speed up housing construction and lower electricity bills.
In responses to candidate questions, Green said his administration had helped approve more than 10,000 low-income housing units and accelerated nearly 7,000 affordable units statewide. He also pointed to housing and zoning reforms enacted during his first term.
Green was first elected governor in 2022 with Sylvia Luke as his running mate. They defeated the Republican ticket of Duke Aiona and Seaula Jr. Tupai by about 26 percentage points.
Luke took an indefinite leave of absence and ended her re-election campaign in April amid a federal corruption investigation. She was later indicted on bribery-related charges and alleged campaign finance violations. State Department of Accounting and General Services Director Keith Regan was appointed acting lieutenant governor following Luke’s departure.
Kawakami, who has served as Kauai’s mayor since 2018, will now take on the statewide role. He previously served on the Kauai County Council and in the state House of Representatives. Kauai County Council Chair member Mel Rapozo was far ahead of former mayor Bernard Carvalho will succeed Kawakami as mayor, taking office 01 December
During his campaign, Kawakami said he viewed the lieutenant governor’s office as a position that supports the governor’s priorities while taking on initiatives delegated by the governor. The office also provides administrative support and serves as acting governor when the governor is out of state.
He also emphasised identifying underutilized state and county land near existing infrastructure as a way to increase housing opportunities for local residents, as well as expanding early childhood education initiatives to help working parents.
Green entered the general election with a 64 percent approval rating among registered Hawaii voters, according to a Morning Consult ranking that placed him third among governors nationally. He also serves as chairman of the Western Governors’ Association, a role he assumed on 01 July.
Hawaii is scheduled to host the association’s winter conference in Ko Olina in December, giving Green a prominent role in bringing governors from across the West to the state…..PACNEWS
SAMOA – MEDIA FREEDOM: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Samoa underfire at UN over media freedom restrictions
GENEVA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Samoa has defended its media freedom record at the United Nations, insisting it remains committed to protecting independent journalism after 10 countries raised concerns over restrictions on media outlets, unequal access to government information and threats against journalists.
Responding to criticism at the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Samoa’s representative Nella Pepe Tavita-Levy said the government remained committed to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom under the Constitution and its international human rights obligations.
“Samoa remains committed to protecting freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in accordance with the Constitution and its international human rights obligations,” Tavita-Levy said.
She said Article 13 of Samoa’s Constitution protected freedom of speech and expression, enabling people to exchange ideas, debate public affairs and participate in decisions affecting their lives.
“The government recognises the important role of the media in promoting transparency, accountability, and public participation,” she said.
Her response followed recommendations from 10 countries calling on Samoa to strengthen protections for journalists, ensure independent media could operate without undue restrictions and guarantee equal access to government information.
The countries raising concerns included Pacific Islands Forum members Australia and New Zealand, as well as Forum dialogue partners the United Kingdom, South Korea, Canada and France.
The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Brazil also raised concerns about media independence, access to public information and the protection of journalists.
New Zealand urged Samoa to remove restrictions preventing media outlets from operating independently.
“Ensure a safe and enabling environment for independent media and journalists by removing bans on media,” New Zealand representative Deborah Mary Geels said.
Australia called on Samoa to uphold freedom of expression as protected under its Constitution, including for independent media.
“Uphold freedom of expression as protected by the Samoan Constitution, including for independent media,” said Emily Roper, Australia representative.
South Korea urged the government to take effective measures to safeguard media freedom, particularly by investigating allegations of threats, intimidation or violence against journalists.
It called for “prompt and impartial investigations into all allegations of threats, intimidation, or violence against journalists”.
The United Kingdom raised concerns about Samoa’s declining position in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index and called for journalists and media organisations to operate independently and without undue restrictions.
“Regarding media freedom and the decline in Samoa’s ranking in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, underscoring the importance of protecting independent journalism and freedom of expression.
The UK recommends Samoa … Safeguards freedom of expression by ensuring journalists and media organisations can operate independently and without undue restrictions,” said UK representative Rhiannon Woolford.
Canada recommended that Samoa address criminal defamation and protect the independence of media and journalists.
“Canada recommends that Samoa address criminal defamation, protect the independence of media and journalists in order to fully ensure free speech,” said representative Anne-Gabrielle Ducharme.
Switzerland called for legislation guaranteeing journalists and the public access to government-held information, subject to clearly defined and legitimate restrictions.
“Media environment, including equal and non-discriminatory access to government information and press conference for all media outlets,” said representative Charlotte Krislen.
Germany also raised concerns about developments affecting independent media reporting and urged Samoa to ensure equal and non-discriminatory access to government information.
“Germany noticed concerning developments regarding independent media reporting as well as freedom of religion and belief. Therefore, Germany recommends to: First, uphold freedom of opinion and expression by ensuring equal and non-discriminatory media access to government information, including by revising the draft government media protocol,” said representative Christopher Czibere.
The Netherlands called for equal access to government information and press conferences for all media outlets, while France urged stronger protections for press freedom and freedom of speech.
Brazil encouraged Samoa to adopt policies ensuring equitable access to government information for journalists and human rights defenders.
“We encourage Samoa to adopt policies ensuring equitable access to government information for journalists and human rights defenders, said representative Bruno Razente .
In response to concerns about access to information, Tavita-Levy said the government continued to provide official information through various channels to support fair and equal access for media organisations.
The recommendations made during the UPR dialogue are not automatically binding, and Samoa will indicate which recommendations it accepts.
The outcome of Samoa’s review is scheduled for adoption on 13 November 2026.
The Universal Periodic Review is a UN Human Rights Council process that examines the human rights records of all UN member states and allows countries to make recommendations on areas requiring improvement…..PACNEWS
FIJI – BIODIVERSITY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Fiji warns world off track on 22 biodiversity targets
SUVA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — The world is failing to meet 22 of its 23 global biodiversity targets, with Fiji warning that inadequate funding and continued subsidies for activities that damage nature are undermining efforts to protect ecosystems.
Minister for Climate Change Lynda Tabuya told Parliament Wednesday that the findings of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia, exposed a major gap between global commitments and action.
The review found that fewer than half of countries submitted their national biodiversity plans on time, while current commitments would protect only about 26 percent of the world’s land and 12 percent of its oceans by 2030.
The international commitment to provide at least US$20 billion annually in biodiversity finance by 2025 had also not been met.
Tabuya said funding that damages nature continued to outpace investment in biodiversity protection by about 30 to one.
“The Pacific did not come to renegotiate its ambition; it came to secure the means to deliver it. Ambition without finance, technology and the capacity to use them is a promise on paper,” she said.
Tabuya said Fiji represented all 14 Pacific island parties as chair of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) during the conference, held from 19 to 31 October.
She highlighted four key outcomes from COP17, including the adoption of the Yerevan Pathway, which provides a global review of progress towards the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The review confirmed that the 2030 targets would not be achieved without additional financial, scientific and technical resources for developing countries.
Fiji also pushed for harmful subsidies to be reformed and redirected towards biodiversity protection.
On financing, Tabuya said the ninth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility had recorded a 27 percent reduction compared with its previous funding cycle, leaving Pacific countries with smaller allocations to implement their national biodiversity strategies.
“Those with the ability to contribute should do so. The obligations of developed country Parties cannot be diluted,” she said.
Another key outcome was the operationalisation of the Cali Fund, which calls on companies using digital sequence information from genetic resources to contribute one percent of profits or 0.1 percent of revenue.
Tabuya said the fund would provide benefits to Indigenous peoples and local communities whose genetic resources were used in commercial products.
She said the decision reinforced Fiji’s Access and Benefit-Sharing Policy 2026 and its obligations under the Nagoya Protocol.
COP17 also agreed on operational arrangements for a permanent body under Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which recognises and protects the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
Tabuya said the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change would work with the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs to ensure Fiji’s communities were represented.
However, she acknowledged that not all Pacific priorities survived the negotiations, including a proposed reference to the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate change.
Fiji will now take the outcomes of COP17 into the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), which runs from 09 – 20 November in Antalya, Türkiye.
Tabuya outlined six priorities for Fiji: keeping the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit within reach, accelerating the energy transition, securing accessible climate finance, increasing adaptation funding, addressing loss and damage, and strengthening the ocean’s place in climate negotiations.
She warned that coral reefs faced further declines of 70 to 90 percent at 1.5 degrees of warming, while more than 99 percent could be lost at 2 degrees.
“Every target agreed in Yerevan for our reefs, our mangroves and our fisheries will be decided, in the end, by whether the world holds warming to 1.5 degrees,” she said.
On climate finance, Tabuya said more than US$16 billion had been committed to Pacific countries since the Paris Agreement, but the pace of disbursement remained a major concern because of complex institutional requirements.
Fiji would push for grant-based finance, simplified application processes and direct access for small island developing states.
She also confirmed Fiji would continue advocating for the capitalisation of the Pacific Resilience Facility, which had received pledges of just under US$200 million against its US$500 million target at Pre-COP31.
Tabuya highlighted two recent Green Climate Fund approvals for Fiji, describing them as a major achievement for the country’s climate and biodiversity programmes.
The US$42.6 million Coral Reef Resilience Project, including US$35.2 million in GCF grants, will benefit more than 359,000 people, restore more than 3,300 hectares of mangroves and riparian forests, and bring about 2.5 million hectares of coral reefs and vulnerable coastal areas under sustainable management.
This follows the approval of a forest restoration project in July, which secured US$29.3 million in GCF grants.
Together, the two projects will mobilise US$64.5 million in grant financing and bring Fiji’s total GCF portfolio to approximately US$135 million.
“These are two back-to-back national project approvals at consecutive Board meetings, a first for Fiji since 2017,” Tabuya said.
She said Fiji would also press for a clear pathway to increase adaptation finance and ensure the Loss and Damage Fund received adequate contributions and was accessible to vulnerable island nations.
On the ocean, she said Fiji would support efforts towards an Antalya Ocean Declaration and push for ocean issues to be integrated across climate negotiations.
Tabuya said Fiji would work through PSIDS and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) to advance the Pacific’s priorities at COP31.
“The road to COP31 started in the Pacific. Fiji intends to see it delivered for the Pacific,” she said. PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM/PARLIAMENT: MAI TV PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Fiji Parliament adds five sitting days for final Constitution Bill debate
SUVA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (MAI TV)—Fiji Parliament will return for an additional five sitting days from 30 November to 04 December, giving lawmakers time to clear outstanding legislative business and debate the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 before the dissolution of Parliament.
Speaking on his motion, the Leader of Government Business Ro Filipe Tuisawau said the additional sitting days were necessary to ensure pressing parliamentary business was addressed and outstanding committee reports were tabled before Parliament was dissolved.
Tuisawau said the extended sitting period would also accommodate the third reading and final debate on the Constitution Amendment Bill, following the decision to defer its consideration.
He said the additional days would provide standing committees with sufficient time to complete their examination of bills and other matters currently under consideration.
Tuisawau said the 2026 Parliamentary Sitting Calendar was initially approved on 02 December 2025, and subsequently amended on 30 April 2026.
He said the Business Committee had agreed that any further adjustments to the approved calendar should be brought before Parliament for consideration and endorsement.
Tuisawau said the proposed revision was intended to ensure Parliament had sufficient time to progress outstanding business and allow committees to fulfil their reporting responsibilities.
The motion was unanimously approved, with no Member opposing the additional sitting dates.
Meanwhile, Fiji’s diplomatic missions have been asked to strengthen engagement with diaspora communities by distributing information on the proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026, advising them of the extended consultation period and encouraging them to submit their views.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told Parliament that the move followed confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade that no formal submissions had yet been received from Fijians residing overseas.
Rabuka said the Government recognised that overseas Fijians remained an integral part of the national community and their perspectives should form part of the wider discussion on constitutional reform.
He said the Government was committed to ensuring that every Fijian had access to accurate information and a reasonable opportunity to understand the proposed amendments ahead of the national referendum.
Rabuka highlighted strong public interest in the consultation process, with livestream consultations recording 50,254 viewers at Ba Market Hall on October 9, 47,178 at Vunimono Hall in Nausori on 15 October, and 45,196 at Labasa Civic Centre on 24 October.
He said these figures demonstrated the importance of accessible consultation platforms, particularly for citizens unable to attend meetings in person.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 and its accompanying information booklet had been made available through official government websites and social media platforms.
The Parliamentary Special Committee’s public consultations had also been livestreamed, allowing Fijians overseas to follow discussions, hear submissions and better understand the proposed amendments.
Rabuka said the extension of the committee’s term and the deferment of its report had provided additional time for public awareness and participation, particularly for overseas communities facing geographical and time-zone challenges.
He also pointed to provisions under the Referendum Act 2026 requiring the Secretary-General to Parliament to prepare and publish a summary record of parliamentary debates on the Bill to improve public access to information.
Rabuka said the Government would continue working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade and Fiji’s diplomatic missions to ensure overseas Fijians were informed and encouraged to participate in the constitutional amendment process.
In another development, Fiji goverment coalition partner the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) will not surrender its principles or blindly support decisions simply to maintain its place in the Coalition Government, party leader Aseri Radrodro has declared, as Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka warns that Cabinet members may have to leave if their parties withdraw from the coalition.
Radrodro’s remarks come amid growing tensions over Constitution Amendment Bill No. 32 of 2026, which SODELPA has refused to support in its current form.
The Prime Minister this week warned that if coalition partners formally withdraw from the Government, their representatives serving in Cabinet may also have to step down.
“If they write to say ‘we would like to withdraw ‘, then the members who are now in Cabinet may have to also withdraw,” Rabuka said. “If they vote, they show their hand, then I will have to ask them to leave the cabinet.”
However, Radrodro maintained that SODELPA’s commitment to the Coalition Government must never be mistaken for unquestioning compliance.
He said the party remains a valued and productive member of the Coalition Government and intends to continue contributing meaningfully to its work.
But Radrodro stressed that SODELPA was elected to represent the people of Fiji, not simply to occupy Cabinet positions.
He said the party’s opposition to Bill No. 32 is principled and firmly grounded in the need for constitutional reform that is fair, inclusive and transparent.
Radrodro also rejected any suggestion that disagreement over the proposed constitutional amendments should be interpreted as disloyalty or insubordination.
“Disagreement is not disloyalty. Independent judgement is not insubordination,” he said…..PACNEWS
NZ – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
‘An uprising with my generation’: Young Pacific voters on the future they want
WELLINGTON/AUCKLAND, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (PMN)—Young Pacific voters PMN News has spoken to this week say they are rising up and agree it is their future on the ballot.
From the United States and London to Auckland and Wellington, six young Pacific voters share what they are voting for.
Their voices come after the PMN News-Horizon Research Pacific Issues Election Survey found only one in three Pacific 18 to 24-year-olds are certain to vote.
Andre Fa’aoso, a Tongan former PMN News reporter now a senior at Yale, says Pacific youth must make their numbers count.
“Pacific people are amongst the youngest demographic in New Zealand, and with that comes a need to ensure we impress on our political institutions what our needs are.”
But he told Pacific Mornings the major parties have “a particularly unimaginative idea for what New Zealand’s future could be”, and accuses the Government of trying “to disenfranchise Pacific voters through the removal of same-day enrolment”.
The coalition says the change speeds up the count.
Katie-Rose Ruana Pemberton, a first time voter from the villages of Le’auva’a and Afega in Sāmoa and living in South Auckland, sees a movement building.
“It takes one person to start and then everybody starts following along with it,” she told PMN News. “The more that we vote, the easier it becomes for others to follow through.” She says the system is not built for young people, and the idea they do not care is not coming from youth themselves.
Fania Kapao, who is Atiuan, Mangaian and Sāmoan from the village of Pu’apu’a in Savai’i, grew up in a working-class family in Avondale, and now serves on the local council board.
“Our parents and grandparents worked incredibly hard to create opportunities for us,” she told PMN News. “I think participating in democracy is one way we continue that legacy.
“I think sometimes we confuse disillusionment with apathy. So it’s not that young people don’t care about politics. Politics needs to care about young people.”
In London, Georgia Broadbent-Berge, a film studies student with roots in Rarotonga and Atiu , says her vote is for more than herself.
“My part is voting for a future for myself, but also something that can benefit others. “Māori, Pasifika people predominantly get the worst kinds of healthcare. That’s not even a question, that’s just a fact.”
She also says many older politicians will not live to see the change their policies make.
“Whereas as a young person, you want to support something that is going to continue to help you prosper throughout your life.”
Patrima Tauira, a Pukapukan and Atiuan social worker based in Porirua, says better access to information has changed her generation.
“I see that there is an uprising with my generation because we are more informed and have a better understanding with politics.
“I am here. I will be heard. I matter. I do care, so I vote.”
To fence-sitters, she is blunt.
“Do it. If you don’t, I better not hear you complain about anything then. It doesn’t take long, hurry up!”
In Auckland, Aaron Clancey-Browne, a university engineering student, came from Rarotonga at about four for a better education.
“Maybe it seems like we don’t care because we feel like we aren’t being heard.
Citing the end of fees-free study he says nothing has come easy and it sometimes feels like they’re being punished for trying to make better lives for themselves.
“So I am voting because words should be backed up with action.”
With only three full days left of voting, time is running out to have your say in the 2026 General Election.
“Voting places are open around the country on Thursday, Friday and election day, Saturday 7 November, so there’s opportunity for everyone to vote.
It’s important that you have your say on who represents you in Parliament for the next three years. Saturday is your final chance to vote and be heard,” says Karl Le Quesne, Chief Electoral Officer…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Thu 05 Nov 2026
PM Rabuka buying time to secure votes, claims Unity Fiji leader Narube
SUVA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube has accused Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of using the extension of consultations on the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026 to buy time to secure parliamentary support.
Narube claims the extension is a political smokescreen designed to give the Prime Minister more time to persuade coalition partners and other Members of Parliament to back the Bill.
“The extension of time for so called consultations on the Amendment Bill is a smokescreen. The extension is clearly not sufficient to achieve what many of us are calling for which is to take the amendments down to the people. So, what is the agenda?” asks Narube.
He alleged that the Government’s real objective was to secure the votes needed to pass the proposed constitutional changes.
“The real agenda is to allow time for the Prime Minister to work on his coalition partners and other MPs to support the Bill. He will use all the weapons that he has including threats and carrots to bring them into line.”
Narube, a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, questioned the Prime Minister’s motives and claimed his political future was driving the push for constitutional amendments.
“The ulterior agenda in my view is a personal one–the political survival of the PM. What amazes me is that he is prepared to sacrifice the future of our children to protect his survival,” says the former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji.
He also questioned whether the extended consultation period would provide sufficient opportunity for people across Fiji to have their say.
“The people need to know the real reason for the extension of the consultation time on the Constitutional Amendment Bill,” says Savenaca Narube, the leader of Unity Fiji.
“With this and the past government, I have learnt to look behind the actions because the words and the actions are not what they appear to be,” adds Narube.
Narube said he had previously raised concerns about the Government’s intentions during a town hall meeting in Nasinu.
“The question that I posed at the Nasinu town hall meeting remains: What is the ulterior agenda? It must be critically important that the PM is using all weapons in his armoury to fight the will of the people and bulldoze this Bill through.”
He urged Government coalition partners and other MPs to oppose the Bill.
“I therefore urge the partners in the government coalition to stand firm on their principles. I also plead with other MPs including those in government to put the interest of the people first and vote against the Bill.”
Narube predicted that the Prime Minister would withdraw the proposed legislation if he failed to secure sufficient parliamentary support.
“I predict that once the PM realises that he does not have the numbers in parliament, he will withdraw the Bill citing that he has listened to the people.”
He also criticised what he described as political manoeuvring surrounding the proposed amendments.
Narube ends, “I personally deplore such politics in this country. It is time we clean this out and put the will of the people first.”….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
COOKS – MARITIME SURVEILLENCE: NZDF PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Royal New Zealand Navy supports the Cook Islands in pursuit of illegal fishers
AUCKLAND/RAROTONGA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (NZDF)—The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) is lending people power to substantial collaborations in the western Pacific.
Four RNZN sailors recently assisted fisheries enforcement while crewing aboard a Cook Islands Pacific Patrol Boat, Te Kukupa II, a Guardian-class vessel operated by the Cook Islands Police Service Maritime Unit, which participated in a multi-nation fisheries surveillance operation last month.
Able Weapons Technician Kyle Dymock-Smith, Able Seamanship Combat Specialist (ASCS) Theo Fyfe, Able Electronics Technician Liam Gleeson and Able Seamanship Combat Specialist Reece Speechly spent two weeks aboard Te Kukupa II as it undertook compliance inspections of fishing vessels.
Operation Kurukuru, coordinated by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) out of Honiara in the Solomon Islands from October 5-16, involved 17 nation members and operational support from Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States with sea, air and satellite coverage.
It covered about 30.5 million square kilometres of ocean, focusing on the detection and deterrence of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
ASCS Fyfe said it was his first type of exchange.
Being in the seamanship trade, ASCS Fyfe and ACSC Speechly were particularly utilised for boat handling, watchkeeping and slipping and berthing duties, as well as being on the cleaning roster.
Jurisdiction meant the New Zealand sailors couldn’t participate in boarding other vessels.
The pair say the crew were extremely welcoming. As police officers, the hierarchy and ranks were similar, but there was much less rank segregation than in RNZN vessels.
ASCS Fyfe liked the heightened sense of camaraderie among the crew of 20.
“It’s very close-knit, very family-oriented and very professional. They are very good at what they do, very efficient. On a big vessel you might not run into other people the whole voyage but in Te Kukupa I felt like I was one of the family.”
ASCS Speechly said he benefited from his current posting with the Navy’s Experiential Leadership Squadron, which operates 12-metre Chico yachts for maritime and seamanship training.
“These patrol boats are smaller than our Inshore Patrol Vessels and you need to bring your sea legs – they move a lot more than our bigger ships.”
Commanding Officer of Te Kukupa II, Inspector Tuariki Henry, says the four personnel were a valuable addition to the ship’s company, strengthening their manning levels, assisting with shipboard routines and sea watches and covering some personnel shortfalls.
“Their professionalism, teamwork, adaptability, friendship and willingness to assist wherever required were exemplary and highly appreciated by the entire crew and Maritime Police Division,” he says.
“We sincerely value the continued support of the RNZN and the New Zealand Defence Force, which strengthens the close working relationship, mutual respect and cooperation between our services.”
Te Kukupa II contributed to a total of 149 vessel sightings and 82 at-sea and dockside boardings and inspections.
FFA also recorded more than 27,000 satellite detections using satellite remote sensing technology….PACNEWS
PAC – FISHERIES: FFA PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 05 Nov 2026
FFA joins Pacific call for resilient food systems
PORT VILA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (FFA)–Fisheries are central to food security, livelihoods and economic resilience across the Pacific. Ensuring Pacific Islands countries gain greater benefits from these strategic resources is a shared regional priority.
This was a key message from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Solutions Forum 2026, taking place in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from 3-6 November.
FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop taking part in a panel discussion at the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Solutions Forum 2026 currently underway in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Opening the four-day Forum, Vanuatu’s Deputy Prime Minister, Johnny Koanapo Rasou, emphasised that the Blue Pacific should be defined by its resilience, ingenuity and solidarity in responding to shared challenges to its food systems, including climate change.
Fisheries Ministers from Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga highlighted the complementary roles of land and ocean based food systems, calling for greater investment in the blue economy including through initiatives such as the East New Britain Initiative (ENBi).
FFA Director-General, Noan David Pakop reinforced the importance of tuna fisheries to Pacific prosperity and the role of the private sector partnerships in expanding sustainable blue food solutions for the region.
He highlighted the importance of clear political direction, regional solidarity, sustainable fisheries management, predictable rules and reliable market access in building investor cofidence at the national level.
Pakop also pointed to the Regional Fisheries Development Fund, currently being developed with partners, as a potential mechanism to help FFA Members and Pacific enterprises improve their access to finance and markets.
He further highlighted FFA’s support to private sector entities through the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP II) and the Pacific Island Tuna Ventures Program. This support is helping businesses improve operational efficiencies, meet market requirements, create export opportunities and diversify their sources of income.
A key message emerging from the discussions was the need for greater value creation and retention within the Pacific. Investment in finance, technology and market connections, supported by coordinated policies and partnerships, can help unlock growth for Pacific enterprises while strengthening the resilience of regional food systems.
For FFA, this means ensuring that the region’s fisheries resources deliver greater benefits to Pacific people, businesses and economies, while remaining sustainably managed for future generations.
The FAO PSIDS Solutions Forum 2026 is co-hosted by the Government of Vanuatu and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations….PACNEWS
FIJI – UINON WORKERS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 05 Nov 2026
Energy Fiji Limited union questions 27.3 percent management pay rise against 5 percent workers’ offer
SUVA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —The Construction Energy Timber Workers Union of Fiji (CETWUF) has demanded an explanation from Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) over an alleged 27.3 percent pay increase for executive management while workers are being offered just five percent over two years.
In a strongly worded letter dated 30 October, CETWUF national secretary John Paul called on EFL chief executive officer Fatiaki Gibson to justify the disparity between management and workers’ salary increases.
The union said EFL management had offered workers a five percent wage increase locked in for 2026 and 2027, while executive management had reportedly received an increase of approximately 27.3 percent for 2024 and 2025.
“The Union wishes to make its position absolutely clear: that EFL Management must answer the question being put to EFL by the Union many times over and over again,” Paul said.
“EFL must not avoid, deflect or change the subject of what has been asked under the principles of good-faith bargaining.”
Paul questioned why management had received a substantially higher increase than employees responsible for EFL’s essential operations.
“Why was management able to receive approximately 27.3 percent, while the member workers who continue to perform the essential work of EFL are being offered only 5% locked in for two years?”
He said if EFL considered the five percent offer fair, affordable and financially sustainable, the same standards should have been applied to management remuneration.
“If EFL considers 5 percent over two years to be fair, affordable and financially sustainable, then why was the same standard not applied to management?”
The union has demanded that EFL disclose the financial and performance criteria used to determine executive salary increases and explain why a significantly lower increase was considered appropriate for workers.
Paul said workers deserved transparency over how remuneration decisions were made.
“The member workers have a right to know why management considers its own increase justified while asking employees to accept a considerably lower percentage increase.”
He also accused EFL of repeatedly avoiding the union’s questions.
“EFL cannot simply respond by repeating that 5 percent is its offer. That does not answer the Union’s question,” he said.
“We therefore call upon EFL Management to stop avoiding the central issue and provide a direct, detailed, substantive written response to the Union’s questions regarding the management salary, allowance & benefit increase.”
Paul also raised concerns about outstanding wage claims for 2024 and 2025, alleging that EFL had continued to delay negotiations.
He said the union had already settled pending matters relating to 2023 and expected management to honour its earlier commitment to negotiate the subsequent claims.
“We await EFL’s response to determine the next step for the way forward for members who deserve much more credit and reward compared to the management team,” Paul said….PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific Scientists Build a Regional Picture of a Changing Ocean
By Sera Sefeti
SUVA, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (IPS) —-The Pacific Ocean connects thousands of islands, and understanding how ocean acidification is unfolding across the region requires more than individual research projects or monitoring stations.
Scientists need observations from different island environments, collected over time, to understand how seawater chemistry is changing and what those changes could mean for marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The work is being strengthened through regional collaboration, with Pacific scientists sharing data, technical knowledge and research experience to build a more complete picture of a changing ocean.
Dr Katy Soapi, Pacific Community (SPC) Coordinator for the Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science and a Pacific scientist, says the broader scientific community is aware that ocean chemistry is changing. The priority is now building local evidence to understand how those changes may affect different island environments.
“What Pacific scientists are now doing is building the local evidence needed to understand how those changes may impact our different island environments,” Soapi said.
“At many of our monitoring sites, we are seeing considerable natural variability in pH over days, months and seasons, which is normal,” she said. “It is important to capture this data over time because coastal waters are influenced by temperature, rainfall, freshwater inputs, biological activity, land-based pollution and local oceanographic conditions.”
Monitoring programmes are at different stages across the region. Fiji has an established programme, with monitoring in the Suva area since 2023 and data that contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 14.3.1 reporting.
Samoa has received support through access to monitoring equipment, training and technical advice, while the Solomon Islands programme is newer, with scientists from Solomon Islands National University receiving regional and in-country training as they establish the technical capacity for long-term monitoring. Kiribati and Papua New Guinea also have their own monitoring histories and research priorities.
These differences matter when comparing observations across the Pacific.
“This variation is important; a harbour in Fiji, a lagoon in Kiribati, coastal waters in Samoa or reef environments in Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea can experience very different combinations of temperature, rainfall, freshwater input, current, biological activity and human pressure,” Soapi said.
“The Pacific is connected, but it is not environmentally uniform.
“This is why local monitoring is important and why we cannot rely solely on regional or global averages.”
Connecting the Science Across the Pacific
The Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Centre (PIOAC), established in 2021, supports efforts to connect national monitoring programmes and strengthen scientific capacity across the region.
The Centre brings together the SPC, the University of the South Pacific, the University of Otago and Earth Sciences New Zealand, formerly NIWA.
PIOAC’s work spans the Pacific, through joint work and ongoing discussions with nine Pacific Island countries and territories: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Samoa, Tokelau and New Caledonia.
Its work includes providing monitoring equipment, technical advice, training, sensor troubleshooting, data management and quality assurance. It also connects Pacific researchers with international monitoring networks and supports countries in contributing data to regional and global reporting processes.
For scientists working in small teams across geographically dispersed islands, this support helps build the technical capacity needed to maintain monitoring programmes and generate reliable data over time.
Azaria Pickering, an ocean monitoring and technical officer at SPC in Fiji, says regional cooperation has changed how scientists approach monitoring.
“We’ve moved from monitoring our waters as individual countries to building a collective understanding of what’s happening across our Pacific Ocean,” she said.
“Through the Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Centre and regional partnerships, we’ve created a community where knowledge is shared and challenges are solved together.”
She said the use of common equipment, methods and training was helping countries strengthen their monitoring programmes at home.
“We’re beginning to close critical data gaps across the region and use that evidence to engage our governments, shape national priorities and bring the Pacific’s experience of ocean acidification into global conversations, including at COP.”
For Dr Aleluia Taise of the National University of Samoa, the research is closely connected to the future of Pacific communities.
“As Pacific Islander marine scientists, we believe it is our responsibility as citizens and custodians of the Pacific Ocean to address priority issues affecting our livelihoods and wellbeing,” she said.
Taise says there remains a critical lack of scientific evidence needed to understand the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs and coastal ecosystems.
“Research must be supported by stronger institutional backing, policy alignment and collaboration with regional and international partners to ensure it can continue.”
From Measuring Seawater to Understanding Marine Life
While monitoring seawater chemistry provides information about changing ocean conditions, scientists also need to understand how these changes affect marine organisms.
This is the next area of research being developed by Pacific scientists.
In Wellington, scientists from Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati took part in biological experiments training from 5 to 9 October, gaining practical experience in studying how marine organisms respond to ocean acidification and higher temperatures.
The training is intended to strengthen research connecting changes in seawater chemistry with their potential effects on corals, shellfish and other marine organisms.
Soapi said biological research would help scientists develop studies around locally important species and better understand the implications for reefs, fisheries and livelihoods.
“Monitoring seawater chemistry tells us how conditions are changing, while biological research helps us understand what those changes could mean for the organisms that support our reefs, fisheries and livelihoods,” she said.
For Dr Lindon Havimana of Solomon Islands National University, the research is also about ensuring scientific knowledge reaches communities before the impacts become more pronounced.
His interest in ocean acidification research stems from a responsibility to understand, anticipate and communicate changes taking place in the ocean and to consider how communities can prepare for a threat whose impacts may not yet be fully visible.
“I believe that the greatest value of science lies not only in understanding environmental change but also in ensuring that knowledge reaches people early enough to make a difference,” Havimana said.
“As scientists, we have a responsibility to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and community preparedness, transforming evidence into awareness, awareness into action, and action into resilience.”
He said the implications extended beyond ocean chemistry to the health of marine ecosystems, coastal fisheries, food security and the continuation of traditional practices.
Taking Pacific Research to the International Stage
These regional efforts were represented at the sixth International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO₂ World, held in Wellington, New Zealand, from 13 to 16 October.
The symposium brought together the international scientific community under the theme Moving from Understanding to Action using Multiple Knowledge Systems.
Discussions examined ocean acidification alongside ocean warming, deoxygenation and other pressures affecting marine ecosystems, with a focus on strengthening scientific understanding and connecting research with action.
For Pacific scientists, participation provided an opportunity to present regional research, exchange knowledge and strengthen relationships with the international scientific community.
It also highlighted the challenges facing island countries, including limited monitoring coverage, equipment maintenance, technical expertise and sustained funding.
Dr Kim Currie, an ocean acidification consultant working with SPC, said access to scientific resources differed across Pacific countries.
“Some countries like Fiji, Samoa and the Solomon Islands have the resources to do the careful measurements that are needed, but other countries do not yet have the scientist and equipment necessary to do this work,” she said.
“Working with regional and overseas partners to share knowledge and skills is one important step towards understanding how the Pacific Ocean will cope in the future.”
For Soapi, the importance of that support is also shaped by her own experience as a researcher.
Reflecting on her early work in ocean acidification, she recalled the challenges of deploying monitoring equipment and working in a field where regional scientific support was limited.
“I had received training, but I was nervous about deploying equipment – this was all part and partial of being isolated and being new in a field,” she said.
That experience has stayed with her and influenced her commitment to supporting other Pacific scientists, particularly those working in small teams across large distances.
“For me, coming together means building a Pacific community of scientists who can support each other, share knowledge and collectively understand the changes taking place across our ocean.”
The work underway across the region is still developing. More monitoring, biological research, technical training and sustained support are needed to strengthen the evidence available to Pacific countries.
But by connecting national research programmes and bringing scientists together, the region is building a stronger foundation for understanding ocean acidification.
The aim is not to produce one picture of the entire Pacific but to bring together the different observations and experiences that explain how a changing ocean is affecting individual islands, ecosystems and communities…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific Fisheries should commit to Biodegradable Fish Aggregating Devices
Research shows that bio-FADs can offer comparable fishing performance to conventional designs while reducing persistent marine debris.
By Holly Koehler, Gala Moreno
HONOLULU, 05 NOVEMBER 2026 (HONOLULU CIVIL BEAT)—The science is clear. Solutions exist. And resources are within reach.
Non-entangling and biodegradable fish aggregating devices (bio-FADs) — made from bamboo, hemp, cotton, and other organic materials — offer a sustainable, effective alternative to conventional drifting FADs.
There are real consequences to the continued use of conventional FADs made with plastic and synthetic materials, which can damage the marine ecosystem when lost or abandoned.
Fishers use FADs to harvest more than 38 percent of the tropical tuna catch, and between 19,000 and 40,000 FADs are deployed or re-deployed annually in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. It has been estimated that only 6 percent of FAD buoys in that region were retrieved from the ocean by purse seiners or other vessels; the rest were stranded (11.3 percent), abandoned (44.8 percent), or had an unknown fate (37.6 percent).
Recent research on FADs stranded on the Hawaiian Islands and Palmyra atoll showed that the average time from deployment to stranding was approximately two years and could be as long as seven years.
Sustainable Fishing Best Practice
The Western and Central Pacific Ocean produces more than half of the world’s tuna catch. By not requiring its fleets to transition to bio-FADs, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission is out of step with its peer tuna regional fisheries management organisations: the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
After passing binding bio-FAD resolutions, the three tuna commissions are guiding their fleets toward fully biodegradable FADs by 2028 (ICCAT) and 2030 (IOTC and IATTC).
(For the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, the 2030 deadline excludes flotation components. The requirement to use fully biodegradable FADs, including the flotation components, is expected to take effect in 2031, subject to regulatory approval.)
In contrast, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission has been “encouraging” bio-FAD use since 2017. This year, the WCPFC Scientific Committee agreed that “a stepwise introduction of biodegradable dFADs is technically feasible.”
ISSF has led research on bio-FAD designs for more than 10 years and pioneered the “jelly-FAD” — an innovative design inspired by the drift and buoyancy of jellyfish and co-designed with fishers. Thousands of jelly-FADs have been tested by fleets in all three oceans, including in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean by fleets from China, Chinese Taipei, the Federated States of Micronesia, Japan, Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the United States, through a project led by Lauriane Escalle from the Pacific Community in collaboration with ISSF.
Governments, fleets, market actors, scientists, and NGOs recognise that using bio-FADs is the next step in responsible FAD management. WCPFC must follow suit and agree on a bio-FAD transition timeline at its annual meeting in December.
Productivity, Durability, Flexibility in Design
Bio-FAD designs have been developed through years of collaboration among scientists, vessel owners, fishers, NGOs, government agencies, and tuna regional fisheries management organisations, with positive results:
*Trials in the Pacific and Indian oceans show comparable catch performance between biodegradable and conventional FADs, with jelly-FADs outperforming conventional FADs in Eastern Pacific tests.
*Bio-FADs are feasible for use at commercial scale. Fleets have tested thousands, including jelly-FADs, in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans.
*Bio-FADs typically last long enough for fishing operations but degrade before becoming persistent drifting debris. Jelly-FADs have average lifespans of nine to 12 months.
*Fishers can customize components and structures using local organic materials to suit fishing conditions. Jelly-FADs, for example, can incorporate different woods and plant fibers.
Bio-FAD costs are also comparable to conventional FADs.
The availability and affordability of organic materials will vary, and some regional supply chains face constraints. Remote Pacific islands and atolls that are members of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission may face higher transition costs.
However, these practical barriers can be overcome. To support commission members and fleets, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation has launched a research project mapping fleets, ports, manufacturing facilities, and natural materials across the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. This factor should be considered when setting the timeline but is not a reason to avoid developing one.
Support For A Successful Rollout
Bio-FADs are only one element of holistic FAD management, which also requires thorough FAD data collection and tracking, limits on the number of FADs, higher FAD recovery rates at sea and on land, and comprehensive monitoring coverage — through both human observers and electronic monitoring.
The Western and Central Pacific Ocean region has made, and continues to make, strides on these important components through measures adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and initiatives launched by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, individual purse seine fleets, and partner NGOs.
Fishers will face learning curves, and bio-FAD designs will evolve as more is discovered through deployments and ongoing collaboration between scientists and fishers. But the commission should not let “what ifs” delay implementation of innovative, known technological solutions to real problems.
Setting a transition timeline does not require science to anticipate and solve every potential challenge first. In fact, setting a time-bound goal can help drive problem-solving and allow fleets to plan and prepare.
The commission will not navigate this transition alone. The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and other NGOs stand ready with data, tools, and expertise. Scientists and fishers are eager to exchange technical knowledge, and peer regional fisheries management organisations can share lessons learned.
Bio-FADs are the way forward — a needed next step in the continuous improvement of FAD management and a solution for reducing tuna fishing’s impact on marine ecosystems. The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission has the science, practical solutions, and international precedents it needs to commit to a bio-FAD transition timeline this December…..PACNEWS
