Forum Sets up Tuna Website

MAJURO, MARSHALL ISLANDS, FRIDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2010:

The Ministerial Meeting of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) which includes leaders from Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, today launched the PNA website – www.pnatuna.com

With several unique features – market intelligence from Atuna, an online system to trade fishing days under the PNA Vessel Day scheme, photo essays about where PNA tuna comes from, news and other information about the PNA’s tradition of innovation in conservation and management measures – the PNA website is set to become the number one source of information on sustainable tuna in the Pacific Islands.

The site also features valuable background about the PNA su
ch as key founding documents, a news archive and other information about its achievements since the formation of the PNA in 1982.

The PNA are global leaders in conservation and fisheries management. Fish has always been vital for Pacific Island life and PNA currently controls 25% of the world’s supply of tuna.

Many PNA conservation measures are world firsts – such as high seas closures, controls on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and the 100% coverage of purse seine fishing vessels with observers. The PNA has no dolphin bycatch and measures to limit the impact of tuna fishing on sharks and turtles.

The focus of PNA efforts to sustainably manage tuna is the Vessel Day Scheme. PNA members agree on a limited number of fishing days for the year, based on scientific advice about the status of the tuna stocks. In the future, fishing companies will bid for fishing days and these are sold to the highest bidder. In this way, Pacific Islanders reap economic benefits from their sustainable management of tuna.

www.pnatuna.com promises to add value to the PNA and its strategy of being independent instead running an office on a commercial basis (through fees from fishing). The website will inform PNA members, industry and the general public and increase the global profile of the PNA.

www.pnatuna.com was developed locally in the PNA countries by grafixfarm, a Solomon Islands based IT company.

-- Anouk Ride Media and Publications Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency www.ffa.int

WATCH THE NEW FILM 'OCEANIC GUARDIANS' ABOUT PACIFIC ISLANDS TAKING CONTROL OF THEIR FISHERIES: www.youtube.com/pacificislandfish

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