Nine vessels of interest were listed during the Operation Tui Moana 2025 (OPTM25), including one confirmed apprehension for suspected illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, during a two week regional operation by 10 members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency recently.
The regional operation that concluded on 23 May, targeted IUU fishing across FFA Members’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and adjacent high seas areas within the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission area.
A total of 76 fishing vessels were boarded – 30 in port and 46 at sea – with an additional 31 vessel sightings and 4,937 satellite detections recorded.
FFA Officer in Charge of the Fisheries Operations Division, Jason Raubani, praised the collaborative efforts during OPTM25’s final briefing.
“The success of OPTM25 highlights the continued strong regional cooperation that is in place, and the commitment to protecting the rights of Members and their valuable tuna resources.”
He noted that follow-up investigations are already underway and emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum through national enforcement efforts and regional coordination.
Supporting the operation were the Pacific QUADs – Australia, France, New Zealand, and the United States – along with key monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) partners.
A team of 29 national officers representing the participating Members, along with P-QUAD and partner personnel, were based at the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC) in Honiara throughout the operation.
They coordinated real-time surveillance and intelligence efforts, directing surface and aerial patrols across the region. The RFSC team developed daily intelligence briefings using MCS tools and surveillance data, which were used to guide operations and inspections by national authorities and partner agencies.
Tonga took part in the operation which also included representatives from Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
