PCC applauds efforts to protect fisheries in Pacific

PCC praises efforts to protect sustainable fisheries in Pacific

The Pacific Conference of Churches applauds the recent decision by the Solomon Islands government to close its fisheries to “foreign purse seine vessels” and congratulates Prime Minister Danny Philip and his ministers for their bold stance in putting fisheries sustainability ahead of profits.

The Solomon Islands cabinet approved the decision last Friday night in Honiara.

PCC general secretary Fe’iloakitau Tevi said: “the decision by the Solomon Islands government to close its fishery to purse seine vessels due to them using tp their fishing quotas shows that the government is more concerned about the long term impacts of their decision as opposed to short term gains, which often are unsustainable. ” The PCC also congratulates the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) for keeping their promise to their people and to each other over the last 3 decades since the PNA was formalized on 11 February 1982 in Nauru. Parties to the PNA include the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

The PNA operates a scheme where a total number of days for fishing are set for the PNA areas, which is then divided between the eight PNA ocean states.

Each state is allocated a Party Allowable Effort (PAE) of days, and if they use up their days, they must close the fishery and purchase fishing days from another country so as to keep the overall fishing effort in the PNA area within sustainable limits.

In 2010, the PNA set stringent limits on fishing quotas and the parties agreed that the limits would not be exceeded by anyone.

Last year, when Nauru used up all its fishing days, it closed its fishery and purchased additional quotas from the Marshall Islands.

Earlier this year, Papua New Guinea also purchased fishing days from Palau.

Collectively, the PNA controls between 25-30 percent of the world’s supply of tuna.

Mr Tevi adds: “the seas between these Pacific Island states are among the last healthy fishing areas left in the world so it’s encouraging to see the concerned states making wise, sustainable decisions about it.”

Mr. Fe’iloakitau Tevi General Secretary Pacific Conference of Churches

Website: www.pcc.org.fj

ENDS

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