CNMI, American Samoa criticise Pacific Remote Islands expansion plan
U.S. President Joe Biden’s plan to expand the Pacific Remote Islands’ marine sanctuary has been receiving negative responses from territorial leaders, who criticised the lack of consultation prior to the
Big picture vision conversations missing in the Pacific
Big picture conversations about the future of the Pacific islands should be happening, but they are not, said one of the region’s foremost commentators in an interview published this week in the Marshall Islands
Congresswoman Amata opposes Pacific Remote Islands expansion plan
Closing off more areas around the Pacific Remote Islands would only invite foreign vessels to poach into the U.S. waters, American Samoa delegate Uifa’atali Amata Radewagen said, opposing the Biden administration’s
Worry, frustration as UN tries to finally agree high seas treaty
UN member states have much work to do to finally agree a treaty to protect the high seas before scheduled negotiations close in five days, participants and observers say. After 15 years of formal and informal talks,
Tuna cannery still in the pipeline in Vanuatu
The outgoing Director General (DG) of Vanuatu’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB), Moses Amos, has confirmed that the management of Sino-Van plans to set up a small
Marine protected areas don’t help tuna, new paper shows
A new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science has found that Kiribati’s Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), which banned all fishing in 2015, has not had a significant impact on the skipjack and bigeye tuna
Parties to the Nauru Agreement set to open new HQ in Majuro
The capital of the Marshall Islands, Majuro, will host the first in-person annual meeting of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) since 2019 when the powerful fisheries organisation convenes on Monday. To coincide
Are Marine Protected Areas effective for tuna conservation?
The first-ever quantitative evaluation of the contribution of no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to the conservation of tropical tunas in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) has been published in Frontiers
Fiji cabinet wrap: Kiribati relations, MSG sports, NZ defence cooperation and local elections
Bilateral relations with Kiribati was one of the key issues discussed by Fiji cabinet ministers in their meeting this week, including deeper cooperation on fisheries. Fiji Prime Minister noted: “Kiribati is also
Marshall Islands sees tuna rebound
Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) records show that tuna transshipment in Majuro rebounded following the disastrous first year of Covid in 2020 when transshipment plummeted by 60 percent compared to
Pacific People 2022: Women At The Helm
The three key Pacific Islands fisheries organisations head into 2023 with competent, charismatic women at the helm. Rhea Moss-Christian of the Republic of the Marshall Islands now heads the Western and Central Pacific
Scientists challenge Japan ocean dumping plan
In early 2023, Japan plans to begin dumping 1.3 million tonnes of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear reactor into the Pacific Ocean. Fiercely opposed by local fishermen, seaweed farmers and
Fukushima and Fish
Time stands still in the Pacific - it's what attracts tourists. But in December 2022, the clock is ticking towards Japan's planned release of more than 1.2 million tonnes of radioactive cooling water into the Pacific
Opinion: Fijian fish workers in foreign owned fishing boats
In the Pacific Island countries including of course Fiji, fishing plays a critical role in people’s livelihoods. Fisherfolks, be they subsistence fishers, artisan fishers, or workers in commercial and industrial
Impact of Japan’s wastewater plan will be ‘devastating’: Moss-Christian
The newly appointed executive director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) tasked to take on the cause of protecting the world’s tuna stocks has raised alarm by Japan’s plan to release
StarKist Samoa to hire Samoan graduates
Starkist Samoa is targeting students graduating from Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) at the National University of Samoa (NUS). Samoa’s government owned newspaper reported that a partnership to
Pacific Tuna fisheries may lose certification, MSC warns
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has warned 33 MSC-certified tuna fisheries in the region may lose certification if the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) fails to adopt management measures of
WCPFC meet after three years due to COVID-19
The Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Feleti Teo says the Commission was severely challenged to adapt and to adjust to a new working environment dictated by the
Why Western Central Pacific Ocean Tuna Fisheries’ certification is under threat
Approximately half of the world’s tuna catch comes from the Western Central Pacific Ocean. However, the long-term sustainability of these important stocks could be at risk if governments cannot agree joint strategies
The Pandemic, War and the Effect on Island Travel
It’s an early Tuesday morning in the seaside town of Levuka. A fish salesman is busy opening his doors to suppliers as they bring in their catch after the night’s fishing. A shop owner scurries around preparing to
MSC extends Pacific tuna certification
Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) and Tokelau have welcomed the decision of the Marine Stewardship Council’s Independent Adjudicator to extend the scope of the MSC certification of the PNA tuna fishery to
World’s largest ocean reserve off Hawaii has spillover benefits, study finds
Six years ago, the then U.S. president, Barack Obama, created the world’s largest fully protected ocean reserve by expanding the existing Papahānaumokuākea marine national monument in Hawaii, a world heritage site
PNG to share vessel tracking data in new partnership
In a new partnership with Global Fishing Watch, Papua New Guinea has committed to sharing vessel tracking data from its Fishing Industry Association on the organisation’s public map. Through this agreement, PNG is
