This is WCPFC 15, and it’s number 15 for me. That’s the nature of my job, like any other Fisheries manager here. It’s to make sure the decisions of the Commission are balanced and take into account our interests, not only as custodians of the resources but as development partners to this fishery so it’s important the measures here are effective and achieve long term goals. They should also create jobs and livelihoods and food security for our people.
Key highlights over those 15 years from where I sit? The biggest is the in-zone management regime, the Vessel Day Scheme. It’s transformed the fishery and our economic benefits to the Parties to the Nauru Agreement. The regional observer program is another of the key highlights. Those who are in these jobs are the unseen eyes and ears of our fishery in terms of compliance. We have a lot of young, dedicated people who make a lot of sacrifices to go out there and work under often difficult conditions and challenging reporting requirements.
And my third highlight is electronic monitoring. It’s the next stage for improving compliance and transparency, using tech to become more cost-effective, while doing a better job of managing the resources we have. That trend is only to improve as technology adapts and evolves with us.
At these commission meetings, negotiation is a key skill but it actually sits on a base of compromise, understanding and respect. Nothing annoys me more than people listening to us, saying they understand our situation, and then still going on to compare us to other Oceans. This is a totally different Ocean. We are the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, just look at the map. There are 17 member countries and territories. When you look at other Ocean areas, there is nothing there like us. So when people who participate in other Ocean forums come here and anticipate the same setting, it’s not. We are people. We are small Islands. We are affected, and our livelihoods, our futures depend on the health of these resources and the ocean they come from. So yes, at this 15th Commission, an ongoing message to all is that there is a need for mutual respect in this forum.
The measure that most needs to get across the line this week is obviously the Tropical Tuna Measure. It’s the bread and butter of this Commission and is a key objective of what we were established to do. –ENDS
