An agreement to ensure the welfare of fishing crews in high seas fisheries was reached at the recent Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) Officials annual meeting held earlier this month in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.

The committee announced Crew Employment Conditions terms will be added to the minimum requirements for fishing licences amid concerns over poor conditions experienced by fishing crews, especially on foreign longline vessels. These vessels often require crews to stay at sea for up to a year with poor pay and conditions and harsh penalties for dissent.

The decision was hailed as ground-breaking by the 17 members, including Tonga, as well as international NGOs attending the meeting. 

Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director-General, Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen said the agreement is a giant step forward in helping to ensure that the ‘slavery at sea’ identified in other global fisheries does not blight the Pacific region.

“It will help ensure that basic human rights are protected for those working in our offshore tuna fishery.”

“The fishing vessel operator will now become formally responsible for the health, welfare and safety of the crew while he or she is on board the vessel, and will be required to meet decent standards in respect of salary and conditions for all crew.”

Dr Tupou-Roosen added that the addition of the Crew Employment Conditions will need to be embedded in the members national procedures.

Federated States of Micronesia’s National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA) Executive Director, Eugene Pangelinan, Chairman of the meeting, said “although the regional offshore tuna fisheries are already the most sustainably managed in the world, we now expect all operators in the fishery to treat crew members in a way that reflects the values and expectations of our combined membership.”

Pangelinan said that by setting these standards, more Pacific Island nationals will be motivated to become crew on fishing vessels which would enhance local employment in the industry.

“This is a goal our leaders have set us and we are proud to be taking this work forward.”

Other agreements also made at the forum include increasing assessments on the impacts of climate change on offshore fisheries; develop a new Regional Longline Strategy to support stronger returns to island countries; and boost measures to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, among others.

“I cannot stress enough that although much has been achieved in 40 years, there is still much to do particularly with emerging issues and challenges such as climate change. We work to ensure our people enjoy social and economic benefits from a sustainably managed offshore tuna resource and this wouldn’t be possible without key partnerships,” said Dr Tupou-Roosen.

Tonga's Ministry of Fisheries CEO, Dr Halafihi and Deputy CEO, Vilimo Fakalolo attended the forum.

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) assists its 17 member countries (including Tonga), to sustainable manage fishery resources that fall within their 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zones.

NORMA manages oceanic resources and in particular tuna resources, within the Exclusive Economic Zone of Federated States of Micronesia.