In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Climate Change is Ocean’s biggest threat: Pacific Ocean Commissioner
2. PACIFIC — There will be consequences’: China issues warning over Taiwan’s Pacific role
3. PACIFIC — NZ Foreign Minister Peters pushes US$500m Pacific resilience fund as group challenges who should pay for it
4. AUST — Key U.S treaty should have ‘assumptions’ questioned
5. SAMOA — Doctor hopes specialist skills can stay in Sāmoa
6. SOL — Padezaka forest gets go-ahead to join global carbon market, promising income for 4,000 landowners in Solomons
7. PACNEWS BIZ — Solomon Islands Airline axes Christchurch route to the Pacific four months after take off
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Two Derelict Fishing Vessels Safely Removed from Suva Harbour
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Science-informed management is key to healthy tuna stocks: Cook Islands flags priorities for WCPFC 23
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Tourism industry looks to global standards to lift competitiveness
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Hydro output under threat,| EFL warns weather impact
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Micronesian Islands Meet Against Backdrop of Great Power Competition
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Contact investigation and preventive treatment mission strengthens TB prevention in Isabel Province
PACIFIC – FORUM LEADERS MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Climate Change is Ocean’s biggest threat: Pacific Ocean Commissioner
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, PALAU, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Pacific Ocean Commissioner Dr Filimon Manoni says climate change and ocean acidification remain the biggest threats facing the Pacific Ocean, as regional leaders meet in Palau for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.
“Climate change poses a direct threat to the health of the ocean, the resources and its resilience,” he said.
He said rising sea levels, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, pollution and plastics were all placing increasing pressure on the Pacific’s marine environment.
“You can’t talk ocean without talking about climate,” Dr Manoni said.
Dr Manoni said maritime boundaries remained an important issue for Pacific Island countries and continued to feature in the work of the region.
He said about 75 percent of shared maritime boundaries in the Pacific had been concluded through negotiations.
“The delimitation of boundaries is important so that you know actually what you are protecting and what you are affecting,” he said.
“If your boundaries are not certain and not clear, then it could throw all other enforcement activities into question.”
He said clear maritime boundaries were particularly important as Pacific countries deal with issues involving fisheries, marine resources and the implementation of international ocean agreements, including the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction(BBNJ) agreement.
The Pacific, he said, had performed better than many other regions in peacefully resolving maritime boundary issues.
“In other parts of the world, it’s war to determine boundaries. Fortunately for us in the Pacific, we are able to sit down and talk about our boundaries,” Dr Manoni said.
Asked whether Vanuatu’s decision to pursue international arbitration over its maritime boundary dispute with France would be discussed by Forum leaders, Dr Manoni said the matter was primarily for Vanuatu to determine.
“For that particular issue with Vanuatu, I’m not sure whether that will be discussed in the Forum. That is a matter for Vanuatu,” he said.
Dr Manoni said Pacific leaders had already recognised climate change as an existential threat and that this was driving calls for stronger integration of ocean issues into global climate negotiations.
“There are those at the UNFCCC, at COP who are calling for much stronger integration of ocean in the climate discussion because the two are one,” he said.
He said activities contributing to sea-level rise and ocean acidification were directly affecting marine ecosystems and Pacific communities that depend on the ocean for food, livelihoods and economic development.
Asked whether his office would meet senior United States officials expected to attend the Forum Dialogue Partners to discuss issues including plastics and deep-sea mining, Dr Manoni said no bilateral meeting had been scheduled.
He said the U.S delegation was expected to meet with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General and participate in discussions with Forum partners.
“That would be a great opportunity.
“I’m not scheduled for a bilateral with the U.S delegation. I think they are meeting the Secretary General when they arrive,” Dr Manoni said.
He said discussions during the Forum’s partners’ meetings could provide an opportunity for Pacific concerns to be raised.
“As for the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, we don’t have a scheduled bilateral with the U.S,” he said.
“We depend on the umbrella of Pacific organisations, and so if we are invited to participate in those, we would be very happy to attend,” Dr Manoni said.
The comments come as Pacific leaders prepare to discuss regional priorities ranging from climate change and ocean governance to maritime boundaries, fisheries and emerging pressures on the region’s marine resources.
Dr Manoni said the central challenge remained protecting an ocean increasingly under pressure from climate change.
“Climate change and acidification of the ocean are the biggest threats,” he said….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: SMH PACNEWS 2: Tue 01 Sep 2026
There will be consequences’: China issues warning over Taiwan’s Pacific role
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SMH)—Tension between China and Taiwan is threatening to overshadow a key meeting of Pacific leaders, as Beijing lodges complaints and threatens retaliation over the decision to allow the self-governing island to have such strong representation at this year’s event.
The Pacific Island Forum (PIF) leaders meeting began in Palau on Monday night, with at least five leaders skipping the summit amid suspicion Beijing was trying to undermine the gathering.
Sitting not far from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung attended the opening ceremony of the forum and will participate in several events over coming days, infuriating China.
Speaking after the opening ceremony, China’s special envoy for the Pacific Qian Bo said he had “serious concerns” about the level of access being granted to Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as an integral part of its territory.
“Taiwan is not a dialogue partner for the forum, so we have serious concerns,” he told reporters.
“We have made our position very clear to the government of Palau and the secretariat.”
China, the United States and other countries serve as official dialogue partners of the PIF, while Taiwan attends as a development partner.
Palau is one of a handful of remaining countries in the world that still recognise Taiwan, rather than Beijing, as the legitimate government of China.
Saying he believed China had the support of most Pacific nations over the issue, Qian said that “there will always be consequences” when China is unhappy about a decision.
“I mean, you know this is objected by all, so this should not have happened. So we think it’s very inappropriate to do so.”
Reflecting how sensitively China approaches Taiwanese representation on the global stage, Qian flagged he would raise the issue in his address to the forum on Tuesday.
In his speech opening the event, Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jnr made clear he did not want competition between countries that are not official PIF members to derail the event.
“We welcome friends and genuine partnerships, yet attention is not the same as respect.
“Our partners are welcome to sail with us, but they do not choose our destination,” he said.
“The Pacific agenda must be driven by us, for us, and the forum must remain the political home in which that agenda is shaped.”
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale was supposed to hand over the chairmanship of the forum to Whipps, but he had to hastily return home to deal with a no confidence motion lodged by a cabinet colleague.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said it was “highly suspicious” that Wale, who has taken a more sceptical approach to Beijing than his most recent predecessors, had been forced to return home at such an important time for the region.
The leaders of Kiribati, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji and New Caledonia are also expected to skip this year’s event.
Solomons Foreign Minister Rick Houenipwela said partner nations “are welcome, and their support is valuable, but they should help us realise our ambitions, not define them”.
“Friendship and threat cannot travel in the same canoe,” he said.
“Our ocean is not an empty space for rivalry.
“It is our home, and its peace, security, and future must be shaped first and foremost by Pacific peoples.”
Whipps told this masthead ahead of the meeting that he was hoping the region would present a “united front” about China’s surprise test-firing of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile in the Pacific last month.
However, resistance from Kiribati and Nauru have blocked a forceful joint statement from the PIF….PACNEWS
PAC – FORUM LEADERS MEET/PRF: PMN PACNEWS 2: Tue 01 Sep 2026
NZ Foreign Minister Peters pushes US$500m Pacific resilience fund as group challenges who should pay for it
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN)—New Zealand is stepping up its push for a US$500 million (NZ$845.06 million) Pacific resilience fund with Foreign Minister Winston Peters urging international partners to help close the funding gap.
Speaking at an Oceans Partnership Forum roundtable in Palau on Monday, Peters said New Zealand was “vigorously knocking on doors” in Europe, the Middle East and North America for more contributions to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF).
Aotearoa has pledged $20 million (US$11.83 million to the fund but Peters acknowledged it remains well short of its US$500m goal.
“If you don’t ask, you’ll never know,” he said.
Fiji’s Minister for Justice and Political Affairs, Siromi Turaga, told Parliament earlier this year that the Facility was created because Pacific countries have struggled to access existing climate finance.
“Its creation responds to longstanding challenges faced by Pacific nations in accessing global climate finance, including complex procedures and financing models that are not well-suited to the Pacific realities,” he said.
Turaga said the facility was designed to provide “simplified and accessible funding” and strengthen Pacific “ownership, leadership and control” over climate and disaster resilience financing.
But Greenpeace says the Pacific should not have to keep asking wealthy countries for money to deal with the effects of climate change.
Rae Bainteiti, Pacific Political Coordinator at Greenpeace Australia, says climate finance should be treated as a responsibility of major polluting nations.
“Pacific Islands communities shouldn’t have to rely on door-knocking asking for funding – climate impact funding is simply the right for big polluting nations to do.”
The funding debate comes as Pacific leaders gather in Palau to discuss the region’s priorities around oceans, climate, and development.
Bainteiti says Pacific communities have a deep relationship with the ocean that goes beyond its economic value.
“Pacific communities have inextricable cultural, traditional and personal ties to the ocean and our environment. We are not separate from the oceans.
“Our people have worked with the ocean, balancing opportunity and management, taking only what we need while protecting and replenishing our waters through traditional knowledge and practices.”
Peters told the forum that the ocean remains central to Pacific economies and livelihoods.
He warned that climate change is already affecting one of the region’s most important resources, tuna.
He pointed to New Zealand’s support for climate science aimed at helping Pacific countries understand how warming oceans are changing tuna movements.
But Greenpeace says the threats facing Pacific communities go well beyond climate change.
“The Pacific way of living as one with the ocean is under threat,” Bainteiti says.
“Global heating is already impacting our oceans, fisheries, food security and communities.
“At the same time, militarisation and the emerging threat of deep sea mining are putting additional pressure on our ocean and environment, including tuna.”
Bainteiti says the resilience fund must be easy for communities to access and must not become trapped in government processes.
“The Pacific Resilience Facility must ultimately be accessible and reach the communities it was created to support, and not become clogged up in the government machine.”
While welcoming the facility, Greenpeace says funding alone will not solve the region’s climate and environmental problems.
“You can’t just throw money at the problem.”
Bainteiti says Pacific countries also need stronger action from world leaders, including efforts to keep the 1.5C warming limit within reach, and support for a moratorium on deep sea mining.
Peters says the discussions in Palau will help shape New Zealand’s preparations to host the Pacific Islands Forum in 2027.
The question is not simply how much money is raised, but who provides it, how easily it can be accessed and whether it comes with action to address the causes of the crisis.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting ends on 4 September…..PACNEWS
AUST – DIPLOMACY: AAP PACNEWS 2: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Key U.S treaty should have ‘assumptions’ questioned
CANBERRA, 01 SEPTMBER 2026 (AAP)—Australia should not assume its most important security alliance with the U.S will always exist or won’t change, security experts say, as the two nations mark a major milestone.
Originally an agreement between Australia, New Zealand and the U.S, the ANZUS treaty on Tuesday reaches its 75th year.
The alliance was signed in 1951 to protect security in the Pacific, and was invoked for the first time by Australia in response to the 11 September terrorist attacks in 2001.
Security analyst and former naval officer Jennifer Parker described the U.S alliance as the “bedrock’ of Australian security and strategic thinking.
“I don’t think that we should always assume that the alliance will always be there or nothing will change,” she told AAP.
“We should constantly reassess the assumptions that underpin it.”
Polling of Australian attitudes towards the US has shown a massive crash in confidence in the Trump administration, but a clear majority of survey participants still think the relationship with Washington is important for the nation’s security.
“People are concerned about our changing strategic circumstances and the prospect of conflict in the region,” Parker said.
Australia and the U.S have stepped up their security ties, entering into the AUKUS pact alongside the UK, which will provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
The U.S also maintains a rotational deployment of marines in Darwin.
From 2027, the U.S and UK will be rotating nuclear-powered submarines out of HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.
Critics of the alliance with the U.S say it compromises Australia’s independence and risks entanglement in conflicts abroad.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute Defence Strategy Program Director Mike Hughes said one of the reasons why the alliance has lasted is because it continues to meet the needs of both partners.
“It’s not something that is foisted one upon the other,” he said.
“It is something that is sought explicitly by both the United States and Australia in each other, and that’s part of its enduring nature.
“From technology to capability, to intelligence, all of those things being utterly essential to Australia’s interest, rather than pursuing self reliance.”
Hughes said the Albanese government had been practical in stepping back from the challenging aspects of the Trump administration to understand the “enduring concept” of the alliance.
The United States remained Australia’s closest ally, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
“As we look to the future, we work closely with the United States to deliver for the Australian and American people, deepening the bonds of friendship and goodwill that have connected our nations for generations,” he said in a statement.
Defence Minister Richard Marles will meet with senior members of the administration in Washington in coming days to discuss progress on AUKUS and other key issues….PACNEWS
SAMOA – HEALTH: PMN PACNEWS 2: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Doctor hopes specialist skills can stay in Sāmoa
APIA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN)—Children in Sāmoa needing complex surgery can wait years for treatment, with some families having to travel overseas because the country does not have a paediatric surgeon.
Dr Martin Vaigafa, a surgical registrar at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Apia, wants that to change.
He is completing postgraduate training through Fiji National University with the goal of specialising in paediatric surgery and hopes ongoing partnerships with visiting specialists can help build a local service.
“Sāmoa doesn’t have a paediatric surgeon, but also, we don’t have the facilities and resources for managing post-operative, especially an intensive care unit for paediatrics alone,” he tells PMN News.
Vaigafa says some children can wait years for visiting surgeons, while others needing urgent treatment need to travel overseas.
“If they can wait for the visit, then good, but if not, then we usually send them either to New Zealand or to India.”
A six-member team from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons spent a week in Apia earlier this month, assessing more than 50 children and performing 26 operations.
The procedures included bowel reconstructions, tumour surgery and stoma closures.
Vaigafa says the visits are also a chance for local doctors to gain hands-on experience with complex cases.
“I’ve learned a lot, knowledge-wise and skills-wise, and also managed to do quite a few complicated cases for patients who have been waiting for the opportunity,” he says.
One of the children treated was an 18-month-old boy with Hirschsprung disease, a condition that can cause blockage in the bowel.
Dr Stephen Adams, Head of Paediatric Surgery at Waikato Hospital, said the team had been able to undergo pull-through surgery, allowing him to pass stool normally.
“These are children who may have been waiting one, two or even three years for procedures,” he said in a statement.
“We were able to complete his pull-through surgery, which means he can now pass stool normally. It’s a really meaningful outcome and has the potential to completely change his quality of life.”
Adams says the visiting team also brought equipment and medicines where possible.
“At one point we didn’t even have ibuprofen available,” Adams says. “We brought as much equipment and medication as we could so we didn’t draw on local supplies.”
The partnership continues after the visiting teams leave Sāmoa, with specialists checking on patients and advising local clinicians when difficult cases arise.
Adams says building local skills is central to the programme.
“It’s not about us coming in and making decisions. We’re working alongside local teams, supporting them and helping them build confidence to manage more complex cases.”
Vaigafa says local clinicians can carry out minor paediatric operations but opportunities to build experience in more complex surgery are limited without a specialist based in Sāmoa.
He hopes the ongoing relationship will create more training opportunities and help develop a paediatric surgery workforce in the country.
“Hopefully in the next five, 10 years, we’ll have our own surgeon and we’ll be able to do some of these complicated cases and be able to keep the skills and knowledge within our country.”
PMN News has put questions to the Ministry of Health….PACNEWS
SOL – CARBON TRADING: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 2: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Padezaka forest gets go-ahead to join global carbon market, promising income for 4,000 landowners in Solomons
CHOISEUL, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS) —For the Padezaka people of South Choiseul, in Solomon Islands the decision to keep their forest standing has never been just about carbon credits. It’s about clean rivers, shaded streams, the animals that find refuge in old-growth trees and a future their children can believe in.
That vision took a major step forward this week when Padezaka’s forest was verified as an operational carbon project, allowing the tribe to earn income from protecting 4,800 hectares of old-growth rainforest the largest protected forest area in South Choiseul and part of the wider Babatana Rainforest Conservation Project.
For Patson Taniveke, secretary of the Padezaka Tribal Association, the news is something members have been waiting for since their land was declared a protected area in 2021.
“This carbon project could have a positive impact on the lives of the Padezaka people by a great deal,” he says.
“This will help with education, housing, lighting and other social means. We are all yearning for the potential benefit this project could bring about.”
The project is expected to deliver sustainable benefits for around 4,000 Indigenous landowners supporting livelihoods, school fees and other priorities set by the community.
The tribe has already measured 270,635 tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions from not logging the forest, a figure set to grow each year of the 30-year project, verified under the Plan Vivo Climate Standard.
But for Patson, the real value lies in what the forest does for life beyond the ledger.
A healthy forest absorbs and stores carbon, slowing global warming that is “impacting our world today, including us here in Solomon Islands,” he says.
On a small island like Choiseul, healthy forest is survival: it buffers communities against severe weather and protects the freshwater and coastal systems people depend on.
The community reached this milestone with support from the Conservation Finance for Forest and Communities project, funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in collaboration with NRDF and Nakau.
The forest lies along the Kolombangara River, forming part of the Maetambe Kolombangara River corridor, one of the Solomon Islands’ most biodiverse regions and an IUCN global biodiversity hotspot, home to threatened and endemic species.
Yet the threat of logging is never far. Illegal logging was detected across the Padezaka border in 2021 and 2022, sending sedimentation down the Kolombangara River to the reef.
Padezaka rangers reported the incursion and stopped operations on their land but just across the border, forests continue to fall, with devastating effects.
That contrast sharpens the tribe’s resolve. Chief Godfrey says conserving the land continues the vision of his late father, Chief Cornelius, and generations before him who opposed logging.
“They wanted the Padezaka land to stay as it was created so it remains virgin forest, with clean rivers for water, and full of plants and animals,” he says.
The protected area has become a refuge for wildlife fleeing nearby logged lands.
“Some of the tribes where we share common boundaries have already been logged, so animals will come inside the Padezaka forest. It’s a safe haven for all the animals.”
Seeing degraded land nearby reinforces why the tribe chose conservation.
“When I see logging, I feel very sad that the land is spoiled. Those bulldozers really dig deep and ruin the soil, everything. The rivers, streams are all flooded and spoiled.”
Young people from neighbouring areas, he says, have told Padezaka youth they are fortunate their land has been conserved.
“Padezaka young people are happy we have agreed to conserve the land. They feel more confident for their future.”
Now the task is passing that commitment forward. “We have to keep the Padezaka tribal land for the future benefit of our children to come,” Chief Godfrey says.
“And our children to come must continue with this message.” he added….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – AIRLINE: STUFF NZ PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands Airline axes Christchurch route to the Pacific four months after take off
CHRISTCHURCH, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (STUFF NZ)—New Zealand travellers heading to the Pacific will soon face fewer flight options following a decision by Solomon Airlines to downsize its international fleet.
The Solomon Islands national carrier has confirmed it will return one of its two international aircraft – an Airbus A320-200 – to its lessor when the lease ends in May 2027. The plane will be formally pulled from service in February 2027.
As part of the fleet reduction direct flights between Port Vila and Christchurch will be suspended from November. The direct service only launched in July.
Flight frequencies between Vanuatu and Auckland will be reduced.
Regionally, Honiara to Port Moresby services are also suspended, with a planned return in mid-December 2026 to handle peak holiday demand.
Solomon Airlines chief executive Matt Findlay described the move as a disciplined response to ongoing commercial pressures affecting regional carriers.
“Many regional carriers, Solomon Airlines included, are heavily impacted by the ongoing global fuel crisis and resulting heightened fuel costs,” Findlay said. “We are also seeing the impact of forecast softer Australian and New Zealand market conditions.”
Findlay added that structural repairs are required on the aircraft following recent damage. The airline is working with insurers to safely return the jet to service for the remainder of its lease term.
Solomon Airlines confirmed that all existing passenger bookings will be honoured, and staff will reach out directly to affected travellers to arrange alternative itineraries.
Revised schedules and instructions will also be issued to travel agents as updated timetables are finalised…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DERELICT VESSELS: BLUE PROSPERITY FIJI PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Two Derelict Fishing Vessels Safely Removed from Suva Harbour
SUVA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (BLUE PROSPERITY FIJI)—Two derelict fishing vessels were safely removed from Fiji’s Suva Harbour.
The Zhong Da 2 and Sunshine 86, among many other derelict vessels, have long posed a hazard to Fiji’s communities, environment, and economy. Following a carefully managed operation, the derelict vessels were towed offshore and safely scuttled away from coastal communities.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stated, “These derelict vessels have posed a direct threat to Suva Harbour’s communities, public safety, environment, and economy for years. This cleanup effort is a direct response to what communities have been asking for, and we are committed to preventing future abandonment.”
Before the vessels were towed and safely scuttled, the operations team followed strict cleaning protocols to ensure that the operation would not harm the environment or communities that rely upon Suva Harbour. Each derelict vessel passed a strict cleaning and inspection process before safe scuttling proceeded. Scuttling was carried out at coordinates approved by the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) following careful inspection. The Ministry of Environment completed an Environmental Impact Assessment prior to the operation.
Suresh Prasad, Acting CEO of Fiji Ports Corporation, underscored the importance of safety:”Safely removing derelict vessels from Suva Harbour remains one of our top operational priorities. Fiji Ports and the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji have overseen many safe scuttling operations, and we will continue to bring that same rigour to this cleanup initiative.”
Over the next year, additional derelict vessels will be removed using funds from the Captain Johnathan Smith Fund, which will also support legal reforms to help prevent future abandonment. In 2025, the Waitt Foundation contributed US$1 million to launch the Captain Johnathan Smith Fund.
Ted Waitt, Founder and Chairman of the Waitt Foundation and Institute, stated, “This action reflects Fiji’s commitment to sustainable ocean management, an approach that must address ocean health holistically, encompassing clean waters, sustainable fisheries, marine protection, and economic growth.”
Derelict vessel removal and the cleanup of Suva Harbour are part of Fiji’s broader commitment to holistic ocean management, a combination of policy, community stewardship, clean waters, and economic opportunity working together toward a more prosperous future.
Fiji has committed to sustainably managing 100% and fully protecting 30% of its ocean through a Marine Spatial Plan. The derelict vessels cleanup initiative directly supports this vision by removing physical and environmental obstructions, and demonstrating the kind of multi-agency coordination that effective Marine Spatial Planning requires. Multi-agency coordination is now underway to determine how to implement legal reforms that will help prevent future vessel abandonment.
The initiative to remove derelict vessels in Suva Harbour is a coordinated effort led by the Fiji Joint Maritime Environment Committee, with support from the Waitt Foundation and Waitt Institute. The Fiji Government, through the Joint Maritime Environment Committee, provides interagency oversight and coordination.
Fiji Ports Corporation is leading all operational aspects of vessel removal, including vessel identification and prioritisation, managing approved contractors, ensuring environmental compliance, cleaning, and scuttling vessels.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji advises on approved scuttling locations and certifies that vessels meet cleaning requirements before removal. The Department of Environment conducts Environmental Impact Assessments and provides clearance for removal.
The Captain Johnathan Smith Fund was launched to support the removal of derelict vessels that are causing extensive damage to Fiji’s marine environment in Suva Harbour, clearing the way for institutional reform to prevent future abandonment of vessels. This initiative reflects Fiji’s dedication to creating safer and cleaner waters, stronger economic opportunities, and healthier communities. The Fund honours Captain Johnathan Smith and builds upon his lifelong dedication to ocean stewardship, sustainable fishing practices, and traditional navigation.
With the Fiji Government providing oversight and coordination through the Joint Maritime Environment Committee, the Waitt Foundation and Waitt Institute contributed US$1 million to launch the Captain Johnathan Smith Fund. Fiji Ports Corporation is leading all operational aspects of derelict vessel removal, including vessel identification, environmental compliance, and regulatory oversight. .PACNEWS
PAC – FISHERIES: COOK ISLANDS FISHERIES PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Science-informed management is key to healthy tuna stocks: Cook Islands flags priorities for WCPFC 23
RAROTONGA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (COOK ISLANDS FISHERIES) — An MMR team has returned from the annual Scientific Committee meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), supporting the Cook Islands’ ongoing agenda for sustainable tuna fisheries in the Pacific ahead of the WCPFC’s 23rd Annual Commission Session in Vanuatu in December.
MMR’s Offshore Fisheries Director, Lualua Tua-Trood and Data Manager Tiare-Renee Nicholas returned this week from the 22nd Session of the WCPFC Scientific Committee (SC22), held in Apia, Samoa from 11–19 August 2026. The Scientific Committee meeting is one of several preparatory events ahead of the regular annual WCPFPC session.
The Cook Islands delegation joined fisheries scientists and representatives from across the Pacific and beyond to consider the latest scientific information on the region’s major tuna fisheries and provide advice that will support future management decisions at the December meeting.
Tua-Trood said the increasingly sophisticated scientific work undertaken through WCPFC is essential to ensuring the Pacific uses the best available scientific information, maintains robust peer review processes, integrates the use of emerging technologies, and continuously improves stock assessments and research methods.
“For the Cook Islands, the value of this work ultimately lies in turning robust science into effective management decisions. Tuna fisheries are fundamental to our economy and communities, and we need management systems that are precautionary, responsive to changing stock conditions, and capable of dealing appropriately with scientific uncertainty.”
He outlined key outcomes from the SC 22:
– Updates on important new scientific analysis and advice on the Pacific’s major tuna stocks (skipjack, yellowfin, albacore and bigeye) and continued work to strengthen long-term harvest strategies. New 2026 assessments found that yellowfin tuna remains in a relatively strong position and is neither overfished nor experiencing overfishing. The Cook Islands supported using the latest assessments as the best available scientific information while recognising the need to continue addressing identified scientific uncertainties.
– Progress towards a management procedure for bigeye tuna, with the Cook Islands supporting a precautionary approach that is tested against a broad range of possible stock conditions.
– For South Pacific albacore, the management procedure was run for the first time in 2026, producing an annual catch level of 56,096 tonnes for 2027–2029 for the fisheries covered by the management procedure.
– Skipjack tuna indicators show that the stock remains close to its management target and is performing broadly within the range anticipated when its management procedure was developed. Scientists are continuing to improve the information used to monitor the stock and to examine how future climate-driven changes may affect the fishery.
He said, for the Cook Islands, “a central message emerging from SC22 is that the region’s major tuna stocks remain healthy and capable of supporting important fisheries, but maintaining that position requires continued investment in science and a willingness to translate that science into timely management action.”
Post-meeting, the Ministry of Marine Resources will continue participating actively in the WCPFC harvest strategy process and advocating for management arrangements that are precautionary, scientifically robust and responsive to the particular circumstances and aspirations of Pacific Small Island Developing States.
MMR acknowledged and thanked the Government and people of Samoa for hosting SC22 and the WCPFC Secretariat for the meeting arrangements. The considerable amount of work by the Pacific Community (SPC) as the WCPFC Scientific Services Provider was also recognised, alongside national scientists and other researchers who contributed to the stock assessments and technical analyses considered during the meeting.
The next annual SC meeting will be hosted in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, in 2027…PACNEWS
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Fiji Tourism industry looks to global standards to lift competitiveness
NADI, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) is working towards introducing stronger sustainability standards across every aspect of tourism operations, from accommodation and tours to recycling and environmental management.
FHTA chief executive officer Fantasha Lockington said sustainability had become an important part of maintaining Fiji’s competitiveness in the international tourism market.
She said the industry needed to ensure that services offered in Fiji met standards recognised globally.
“I felt that it was the basic next step that came quite naturally that we’re looking at the CIDESCO qualifications,” Lockington said.
“This is a very natural step for us. They obviously set this international benchmark that is recognised, both for skills, safety and professionalism.”
She said internationally recognised standards would provide confidence to visitors, investors and tourism operators.
“If we can give our guests, our investors and our operators confidence in the standard of care that we’re giving and that our guests are receiving, that’s a very natural step for us to be taking,” she said.
Lockington said health and safety were fundamental, particularly in wellness and spa services where there was close personal contact with guests.
She said the growing sector also presented opportunities for communities, women and small and medium-sized enterprises.
“These aren’t small commitments, and it’s something that we as an industry are constantly pushing to Government, not just to recognise that this is a space that is expanding, but for governments to look at ways that they can support it through better policies,” she said.
She said stronger standards could also help local SMEs grow and develop businesses around the expanding wellness and tourism sector…..PACNEWS
FIJI – WEATHER WATCH/ENERGY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Hydro output under threat,| EFL warns weather impact
SUVA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—A forecast of a severe El Niño could reduce rainfall and hydropower generation, forcing Energy Fiji Ltd (EFL) to rely more heavily on fuel-powered generation to keep electricity flowing.
EFL chairman Rokoseru Nabalarua said the situation required careful management of the company’s generation mix as hydrology conditions deteriorated.
Speaking at the Fiji Australia Business Council forum in Suva, Nabalarua said the Monasavu hydro dam level had fallen to about 734 metres as of August 3, 2026, with rainfall forecast to remain below levels recorded in previous years.
“This will be one of the worst El Niño that the world will ever see for a long time,” Mr Nabalarua said.
“EFL is working with weather authorities, once every month, to plan for the expected conditions.”
The lower water levels mean EFL must balance hydropower with fossil-fuel generation to maintain electricity supply and avoid major disruptions.
Nabalarua said the situation also highlighted the link between Fiji’s water resources and fuel costs.
“When hydro output is constrained, thermal dispatch, fuel usage and cost pressure increase.”
He said increased reliance on thermal generation could put pressure on EFL’s margins if fuel-related costs, including duties, surcharges and operating expenses, were not properly recovered.
Nabalarua also acknowledged the Government’s duty-free concession for EFL during the current period, saying it would help protect the company’s financial position.
He said maintaining EFL’s financial strength was important to its long-term commercial viability.
However, Nabalarua stressed that the surcharge mechanism was not a long-term solution to Fiji’s exposure to fossil fuels.
“The surcharge is not a substitute for transition.”
He said it was a temporary stabilising measure while EFL maintained reliable electricity supply, accelerated investment and worked to reduce its future reliance on fuel.
Meanwhile, Fiji’s electricity demand is growing by about five percent a year, putting pressure on Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) to develop new generation capacity and strengthen the electricity grid.
EFL chairman Rokoseru Nabalarua said that the growth was a positive sign of economic activity and national development, but was also tightening the country’s reserve margin and increasing the urgency for new power capacity.
“Fiji’s electricity system is currently in transition, with hydropower remaining the country’s main renewable source,” he said.
“Hydro generates slightly more than 615 gigawatt hours (GWh) a year, while fossil-fuel generation remains a significant part of the electricity mix.
“Independent power producers contribute about 86 GWh annually.”
Nabalarua said EFL’s renewable targets, about 60 percent by 2027 and 90 percent by 2035, would require a significant expansion of renewable generation.
He said while hydropower would remain central, solar with storage, wind, biomass and other renewable sources would need to expand substantially.
However, he said fossil fuels would remain necessary during the transition to provide reliability while existing capacity was replaced, and the electricity grid was strengthened.
“The transition must therefore be orderly and engineered and financeable.”
He said EFL needed to ensure new generation, energy storage and grid capacity were developed ahead of demand so that constraints did not become visible to customers and investors……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
Micronesian Islands Meet Against Backdrop of Great Power Competition
By Clement Bermudes Jr
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE DIPLOMAT)—From 17 to 21 August, leaders and heads of delegation throughout the Micronesian subregion convened for the 28th Micronesian Islands Forum (MIF).
Held in Pohnpei – one of four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and home to a population of roughly 26,000 people – delegates met to discuss ongoing regional issues and identified areas for strategic collaboration under the theme “Promote Healthy Communities, Open Doors to Learning.”
I attended the MIF as the head of Delegation and Special Representative for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a non-sovereign United States territory. As great powers pursue their foreign policy agendas, the event in Pohnpei revealed a continuing trend often overlooked in the Pacific: Micronesian governments are elevating unilateral hedging efforts in forums like the MIF, in pursuit of a unified risk-management strategy and regional identity.
This year, the MIF met weeks before the more prominent Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting, which is being held in the neighboring Micronesian country of Palau from August 30 to September 4. Seated in the front row of the forum’s audience were senior members of the diplomatic corps posted in the FSM, including ambassadors representing Australia, China, and Japan, and the United States’ newest Chargé d’Affaires to Palikir, who arrived in the country just a week before the MIF.
The venue itself was striking: the State of Pohnpei Administrative Building and Governor’s Office, built by Beijing in 2007 and renovated last year by the Chinese government and state-owned contractors. The Federated States of Micronesia have had formal diplomatic relations with Beijing since 1989, and is the only U.S. Freely Associated State – all of which are located in Micronesia – that maintains such a relationship.
China and the United States are not the only development partners competing in Pohnpei. Just two kilometers north of the Governor’s Office off the Dekehtik Causeway, Japan’s government is investing 4.6 billion yen ($30 million) in a project to expand the Pohnpei Port, the FSM’s primary maritime gateway. In the Pohnpeian outer island of Pingelap, Australia has financed a solar mini-grid and battery storage system for a geographically disconnected island community. These recent investments showcase the strategic importance of MIF member states to great powers and are not unique to FSM.
Officials from Japan, the State of Pohnpei, and the National Government of the Federated States of Micronesia break ground on the Pohnpei Port expansion project, Oct. 8, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Japan in FSM.
Similar practices can be found elsewhere across Micronesia. Foreign direct investment, infrastructure improvements, and diplomatic engagement have become increasingly visible in a region where small island economies are often balancing relationships with several development partners at once. For Micronesia, these relationships are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The same governments that have maintained a historically close partnership with the United States can pursue infrastructure and development partnerships with Japan, Australia, China, and others, depending on domestic needs and priorities.
The discussions held at the MIF centreed around the outcomes of the forum’s several standing committees, including the approval of resolutions focused on U.S. deep sea mining efforts in Micronesia, the development of competitive commercial fisheries in Guam and the CNMI, and the financial stability of the forum itself. The latter action was arguably the most important to the MIF, functioning as a soft call to attending development partners and multilateral institutions for financial support. Member states underscored the need for sustainable funding to support a permanent secretariat, lifting the planning and implementation burden off of any future host government. The emphasis on establishing a more permanent institutional structure comes as Micronesian states continue to navigate their role within the broader Pacific regional infrastructure.
Five years ago, five Micronesian countries initiated the formal process to withdraw from the PIF after their supported candidate for the forum’s secretary-general position – a diplomat from the Marshall Islands – lost the body’s vote. The region instead decided to look inward, pursuing the strengthening of subregional collaboration. After reformation efforts in 2022 and 2023, those Micronesian nations rejoined the PIF, with the forum being held in the subregion for the first time since the 49th PIF in Nauru (now spelled Naoero) in 2018.
The history of that split remains relevant to the MIF today. The forum’s renewed focus on institutional sustainability is not only an administrative concern, but part of a broader effort to ensure that Micronesian governments have a regional mechanism through which they can coordinate their interests. Concurrently, the subregion’s reintegration into the PIF underscores that a robust MIF serves to complement, rather than contradict, expansive Pacific multilateralism.
This year’s PIF meeting further highlights the diplomatic complexity of Micronesia. Palau is hosting the meeting, with the Marshall Islands among the Micronesian states participating in the forum. Both countries maintain official diplomatic ties and a close relationship with Taiwan. Their participation comes as Micronesian governments continue to maintain contrasting relationships with the great powers active across the subregion, even as they pursue greater coordination on issues of common interest.
The timing of this year’s MIF, held two weeks before the PIF Leaders Meeting, provided an opportunity for Micronesian governments to coordinate ahead of the larger regional gathering. The standing committee outcomes raised in Pohnpei can be carried into discussions and actionable lines of effort in Palau. The proximity of the two meetings is particularly relevant this year, as the PIF returns to Micronesia.
For the MIF, member states must work diligently to make the regional forum in its 28th iteration more durable. The return of Micronesian states to the Pacific Islands Forum has restored their participation in the broader Pacific community, while the continued development of the Micronesian Islands Forum provides a concentrated platform for Micronesia’s concerns. How effectively the forum can maintain that balance will largely depend on whether its members and development partners can provide the resources required to sustain it.
The attention surrounding this year’s meetings suggests that the stakes are becoming higher. Micronesia is receiving more development assistance and greater strategic interest from external powers. As ministers, diplomats, and development partners switch gears from Pohnpei to Palau, and as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau leads Washington’s delegation to the 55th PIF, one thing remains clear: all eyes are on Micronesia….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Contact investigation and preventive treatment mission strengthens TB prevention in Isabel Province
HONIARA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—-More than 200 people in Isabel Province benefited from a targeted tuberculosis (TB) prevention mission that identified people at risk, detected new TB cases and expanded access to preventive treatment, strengthening efforts to stop TB before it spreads in communities.
Conducted from 24 to 30 July 2026 with support from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme, and Isabel Provincial Health Office, the mission strengthened TB prevention, early detection, and treatment follow-up through active contact investigation, roll-out of tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT), health worker mentorship, and community awareness activities in support of Solomon Islands’ commitment to reduce TB transmission, improve treatment outcomes, and protect communities from preventable disease.
Strong results for TB prevention and early detection
A total of 220 TB contacts were screened, including 189 contacts of rifampicin-resistant TB cases and 31 contacts of drug-susceptible TB cases. Through this effort, 33 people were diagnosed with latent TB infection, and all 33 eligible contacts were started on preventive treatment, helping reduce their risk of developing active TB disease.
The team also detected three new TB cases and linked them to treatment, ensuring that people received timely care while helping prevent further transmission in households and communities.
Community engagement was central to the mission as more than 200 people were reached through TB awareness and education sessions, improving understanding of symptoms, prevention, treatment adherence, and the importance of seeking health care early.
In addition, 49 healthcare workers were screened, and 11 were diagnosed with latent TB infection and started on preventive treatment. This reflects the mission’s focus on protecting frontline health workers while strengthening infection prevention and control practices in health facilities.
“These results show the value of bringing TB services closer to communities through active screening, early detection and preventive treatment,” said Hon. Morris Toiraena, Minister of Health and Medical Services. “By finding people at risk early, linking confirmed cases to treatment, and strengthening the skills of provincial health workers, we are helping protect families, reduce transmission and build more resilient TB services in Isabel Province.”
“I would like to thank all of you for your tireless efforts and unwavering technical support in conducting training on latent and active TB at Buala Hospital,” said Mr Martin Gavira, Isabel Provincial Health Director. “I look forward to working with my team to continue these important efforts.”
Building sustainable provincial TB services
The mission also invested in Isabel Province’s long-term capacity. Thirteen healthcare workers were trained and mentored on TB contact investigation and preventive treatment, with knowledge scores improving from 49% before the training to 81% afterward. The team provided six days of practical coaching and on-site support to strengthen confidence and skills among provincial teams.
The team also conducted supportive supervision at Buala Hospital, and outreach activities reached Rifukoti village in Buala Ward and Kolosori village in Hovikoilo Ward. These activities strengthened TB reporting, monitoring, infection prevention and control, and practical implementation of TPT at provincial and community levels.
MHMS and partners commended the Isabel Provincial Health Office, Buala Hospital staff, community leaders, and health workers for their commitment and support for the mission. Their collaboration helped bring TB prevention and care closer to communities and contributed to stronger, more sustainable TB services in Isabel Province.
“Contact tracing lies at the heart of tuberculosis prevention. Isabel Province has set an important example by ensuring that every case is followed by a thorough contact investigation, helping us find those at risk early and prevent the spread of disease,” said Dr Howard Sobel, WHO Representative in Solomon Islands. “Isabel Province has shown the standard we should all strive for: comprehensive, timely, and high-quality contact tracing for every case.”
This mission was made possible through funding support from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with implementation support provided by the Burnet Institute and World Vision Solomon Islands….PACNEWS
