Vuna Road, Sopu
Tongatapu, Tonga

Brochures & Posters

IUU fishing continues to be a threat to the effective conservation and management of fish stocks in the wider Pacific Region. IUU fishing is causing economic and social losses for the Pacific countries and negatively impacts their food security and livelihoods.

The Agreement on Port State Measures is designed to intensify global collaboration between fisheries and port authorities, coast guards and navies. The aim of the Agreement is to eliminate IUU fishing, through globally agreed minimum standards for concerted action, enabling better inspections and controls at the ports and on vessels and strengthened flag state responsibility.

The Chief Executive Officer for Ministry of Fisheries Dr. Tu’ikolongahau Halafihi in his welcome address to the workshop thanked FFA and the Consultant Carl Harris from MRAG, for their financial and technical support and expressed the commitment of the Government of Tonga in taking steps towards protecting Tonga’s  marine resources and preventing or deterring actions that can undermine the effectiveness of pertinent management and conservation measures. He stressed the importance of an inclusive inter-agency approach to implementing Port State Measures and welcomed the participation of representatives of the Ports Authority, the Navy, Customs, Marine, and other national authorities to the workshop. 

 

FFA Legal Adviser Dr. Manu Tupou Roosen and Mr. Samasoni Sauni, and the participants of the workshop discussed and identified legal aspects, policies, gaps and constraints, and also discussed actions to be taken to address the gaps, priorities and strategies for moving things forward.