An introduction to the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency. In a world-first, this year in May eight Pacific Islands countries agreed that foreign fishing boats will no longer be allowed to fish in two high seas pockets adjacent to their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).

Typically, the freedom to fish on the high seas has limited controls countries can place on fishing in these areas, but the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands, known as the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, in regional solidarity took action to sustain their tuna – which migrate across vast stretches of ocean.

This is just one of the many regional initiatives supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, commonly known as FFA. Since 1979, strengthened national capacity and regional solidarity of its 17 members so people in the Pacific benefit from their fisheries now and in the future.

When FFA was founded, many countries had little control over fishing in their national waters. Tuna migrate far and wide across the fishing zones of Pacific Island countries – which encompass over 30 million square kilometers of sea. Governments and leaders in the region recognized the need to work together to achieve sustainable management and viable monitoring, control and surveillance regimes. After the US imposed trade sanctions on Pacific Island countries that boarded US purse seiners and representatives from Japan refused to disclose how much fish they were catching in Pacific waters, the issue of fishing rights and responsibilities came to a head. A multilateral treaty was negotiated with the US in the mid 1980s – a key signifier that Pacific Island countries could act in regional solidarity to defend their rights over their EEZs.

This regional cooperation, development and management of fisheries needs support and expertise, which is the FFA’s role. The regional headquarters of FFA, situated on West Kola Ridge Solomon Islands, overlooking Honiara’s Lawson Tama Stadium, provides fisheries expertise and support to its members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

FFA also manages a vessel registration and monitoring scheme which collects fees contributing 46% of FFA income in 2007. Contributions from member fees accounted for 37% of the total FFA income. This member support, plus other fees and funding, enables FFA to employ 50 staff to provide members with advice that includes legal advice, monitoring and surveillance knowledge and tools, reports and guides to developing an ecosystem approach to fisheries management and advice on ways to maximise economic returns from the sustainable development of regional and domestic tuna fisheries.

Staff at FFA reflects the diversity of the region – with people from Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga and Australia to name a few countries – relocating to Honiara. Thirty support staff and eight professional staff at FFA are from the Solomon Islands and they work in international teams with 29 staff from other countries to support national capacity and regional solidarity of FFA members.
Overseeing this work is the governing body of the FFA, the Forum Fisheries Committee which consists of representatives from members of FFA. The key role of the Committee is to provide policy and administration guidance and direction to FFA. They also make the appointment of the Director General and Deputy Director General of FFA. The current FFA Director General Su’a N.F. Tanielu has significant expertise in regional fisheries issues as well as in his home country of Samoa. In his eyes, the future of Pacific fisheries all depends on whether Pacific Island countries and territories stand united or divided.
‘The importance of regional cooperation however cannot be underestimated,’ he states. ‘Tuna is a highly migratory and transboundary resource, and no one country or grouping of countries can effectively manage and conserve the resources.’

At stake are both national and regional interests Su’a explains: ‘With the growing importance of sustainable development of tuna to the national economies of some FFA Member Countries, it would be unrealistic not to expect national interests to be at the forefront of decision-making. However, regional cooperation is also vital to fulfill national aspirations to capture more wealth from fisheries.’ Worth over $3 billion a year and important for many people’s livelihoods in the Pacific, tuna is one of the key natural resources for Pacific Islands. For some members of FFA, fishing provides as much as 80% of national revenue and the main source of people’s protein is fish from the sea.

This is also true of the Solomon Islands, as Governor-General of Solomon Islands HE Sir Nathaniel Waena commented during on a visit to the FFA regional headquarters: ‘The sea is where we feed ourselves – the ordinary householder and the nation.’

The Solomon Islands Government has proudly hosted FFA since it began, an important local contribution to fisheries management and development.

Recognising the need to find a balance between national and regional interests, His Excellency summed up the significance of FFA’s work not just for the Solomon Islands but for the region: ‘Here at FFA you are writing a very important chapter of significant importance to sovereign affairs of Pacific nations. It is important you use your time for the benefit of the resources of the sea that are our means of survival.’

For more information about FFA: http://www.ffa.int

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