Caption: Fisherman with his catch, Vanuatu.

Pacific Regional Fisheries

NZAID's regional fisheries programmes support activities that help Pacific Island countries gain greater social and economic returns from the use of their fisheries resources, especially tuna resources.

Tuna resources are important for Pacific Island countries' development. The annual tuna catch in the Pacific Islands appears to have a value around:

11 percent of the combined Gross Domestic Product of all the countries in the region
Half the value of exports in the region

In 2004-2005 NZAID regional fisheries programme support is being provided through the funding of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

The FFA was established in 1979 and its mission is to support and enable its members to achieve sustainable fisheries and the highest levels of social and economic benefits in harmony with the broader environment. More information on FFA can be found at www.ffa.int

The WCPFC was established in December 2004. The Commission's objective is to ensure, through effective management, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean.

Programme funds totalling a likely $1.4 million will be spent in 2004-2005. Below are some examples of the activities being funded:

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission

Support to the WCPFC preparatory conference organisation fund. These funds assisted arrangements for the final (seventh) preparatory conference held in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, in December 2004. The funds were also used to cover start-up costs for the new Commission, which had its first meeting in Pohnpei after the final preparatory conference.
Technical assistance to the science process in the preparatory conference, in co-operation with the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries.
WCPFC data collection project on tuna fisheries in Indonesia and Philippines. This project, which will be run by the Secretariat for the Pacific Community's Oceanic Fisheries Programme, aims to improve information on the level and type of tuna catches in Indonesia and the Philippines (30% of the sea area covered by the WCPFC). Improved information will assist the sustainable management of the tuna resource.

Forum Fisheries Agency

FFA membership payments for 2005. This annual payment is based on a fixed proportion of the FFA's 2005 budget.
Support for the preparation of the FFA strategic plan. This work involved funding a reflection group to meet to consider a draft plan, circulation and publication of the draft documents and funding of consultancy costs to support additional corporate and business planning. Fisheries Ministers are expected to adopt the strategic plan and a three-year business plan in Majuro, June 2005.
Funds for a workshop to equip FFA members to fulfil their obligations and utilise their rights under the WCPFC. A workshop was convened in Honiara in October 2004. The workshop provided input into the FFA collective negotiating positions for the first WCPFC Commission meeting in December 2004.
Funds for a review of two selected FFA services, Information Technology and the Vessel Monitoring System, to see how their effectiveness can be improved.

In addition to support for FFA and WCPFC work, NZAID funds the Secretariat of the Pacific Community's (SPC) work on fisheries. In 2004, SPC allocated $665,000 of its NZAID funding to three fisheries programmes - Coastal Fisheries Programme (62%), Nelson fisheries officers course (20%) and Oceanic Fisheries Programme (18%).