Operation Island Chief 2024 Successfully Concludes

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has successfully concluded Operation Island Chief 2024 (OPIC24), a 12-day initiative focused on monitoring and surveillance across the Pacific region to ensure the sustainability of fisheries.

OPIC24 saw the participation of FFA Members, the Pacific Quadrilateral Defence Coordination Group (Pacific QUADs), and various partners. Extensive surveillance was conducted to safeguard the marine resources within the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of FFA Members and the Western Central Pacific Ocean.

The Operation covered the combined EEZs of 11 participating FFA Members and adjacent high seas pockets, encompassing an area of approximately 18.2 million square kilometres.

FFA Director General Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen emphasised the significance of OPIC24, highlighting its role in coordinating surveillance efforts among participating Members.

“Operation Island Chief underscores FFA's unwavering commitment to sustainable fisheries management and maritime security in the Pacific,” said Dr Tupou-Roosen.

“This operation exemplifies the spirit of regional collaboration and determination among Pacific Island nations. Through comprehensive compliance checks of vessels and operators, we are ensuring the effective management and preservation of our marine resources, which are vital for the livelihoods and food security of our people.”

Over 353 vessel contacts were made during OPIC24 using air, surface assets and port States, with a total of 153 boarding inspections conducted both in port and at sea.

Additionally, 206 aircraft sightings and 1,146 satellite detections were recorded.

As a result of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) analysis and inspections, eight vessels of interest (VOIs) were identified and reported to Members for further investigation, with potential infringements related to non-compliance with national and WCPFC conservation management measures.

Thirteen FFA Members participated in OPIC24, including Australia, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. They were supported by technology partners and personnel from the Pacific QUADs—Australia, France, New Zealand, and the United States.

Key focus areas of OPIC24 included boarding activities, cooperative surveillance engagements among FFA Members and Pacific QUADs countries, and the use of remote sensing information provided by the governments of Canada, the United States, and New Zealand to drive the intelligence-led operation.

In preparation for the operation, the FFA Secretariat and partners provided capability enhancement training from 29 July to 2 August. The training involved 25 secondees from various organisations, including the Australian Defence Force, Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Fiji Fisheries and Navy, FSM Fisheries, PNG Defence, Kiribati Fisheries, Solomon Islands Fisheries and Maritime Police, Vanuatu Fisheries and Maritime Police, United States Coast Guard, and FFA seconded officials.

The success of OPIC24 was made possible through the support of partners such as Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the Canadian Government's Dark Vessel Detection (DVD) programme, the Joint Analytical Cell (Global Fishing Watch, IMCS Network), the US Military's Joint Integrated Task Force West (JIATF-W), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the WCPFC Secretariat.

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