ALOFI, NIUE, MONDAY 11 MAY 2009: The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) met last week to prepare recommendations for the PNA Ministerial Meeting on Sunday 17 May.
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu and often are referred to as the PNA. Their 3rd Implementing Arrangement, adopted in 2008, follows a tradition of innovation by PNA leaders in developing new initiatives to manage tuna resources in the region. Many of the measures of the PNA were also adopted at the last meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission such as the high seas pockets closure and the coverage of observers.

FFA provides assistance, such as the legal and technical assistance, to enable PNA countries to implement these measures at a national level. This assistance is partly funded by the GEF-funded Oceanic Fisheries Management Project.

Chair of the PNA, Kintoba Tearo (Director of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development) said: “I am pleased to see the results of our collaboration and look forward to the decisions of the PNA Ministers next week.”

Outcomes from the recent PNA Officials meeting include:
•    IMPLEMENTATION OF 2008 DECISIONS: Discussions on procedures for implementation of the 3rd Implementing Arrangement including increased data collection about discards and Fish Aggregating Devices & increased observer coverage and passing of this data to compliance officers
•    HIGH SEAS POCKETS CLOSURES: Agreement to continue to support existing high seas pockets closures at WCPFC6 and to seek the closure of additional high seas pocket areas between latitudes of 20 degrees North and 20 degrees South
•    PNA SECRETARIAT CONCEPT: The Parties agreed to present a Concept Paper on this matter to the PNA Ministerial Meeting on Sunday 13 May 2009
•    RIGHTS OF SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES: Agreement to continue to raise the profile of the WCPFC Resolution 2008-01 on Development Aspirations of Small Island Developing States at regional and international meetings
•    LONGLINE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT: Currently the PNA’s measures are largely applicable to purse seine fishing. The PNA are to explore management options for the tropical longline fishery.

For more information, contact Anouk Ride, FFA, Email: [email protected]