Developing and strengthening the capacity of Forum Fisheries Agency members to harvest and control tuna resources in a sustainable way was a key issue to be discussed at the 8th Annual Ministerial Forum Fisheries Committee Meeting held from June 28-29 in Tonga.

The meeting brought to Nuku'alofa, delegates from 17 FFA member countries, including Hon Willie Telavi Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Hon Toke Talagi Premier of Niue, Hon Kelihiano Kalolo the Ulu of Tokelau and other regional ministers responsible for fisheries.

Tonga's Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano recognised there were many challenges and constraints faced by small island developing states in trying to develop their domestic tuna industries. He said that Tonga's domestic tuna fishing industry was struggling to survive due to negative impacts of external factors such as the global economic crisis, high fuel costs and airfreight costs to export markets.

He said that various lessons had been learnt from around the region with technical assistance provided by FFA.

Lord Tu'ivakano said Tonga was making good process in reviving the tuna industry by re-opening access to her EEZ by foreign tuna longline fishing vessels.

"The purpose of our meeting is to make decisions that will strengthen the capacity of FFA members to harvest and control our tuna resources sustainably for the benefit of our people."

He said FFA and TVM (Te Vaka Moana) were assisting Tonga to develop a fisheries investment framework and investment policy to ensure a coordinated and effective consideration of investment proposals across Government and the fisheries sector.

Ministerial involvement in the Forum Fisheries Committee provided a window for high level political direction and endorsement of regional fisheries development, management and work programs for their successful implementation by FFA member countries, he said.

Pacific

Taniela Su'a the Director General of the Forum Fisheries Agency said, that small countries with small land masses had strength in that 80 percent of this huge ocean of 30 million square km belongs to all FFA members and territories.

He said the value of these tuna fisheries was estimated at around $8 billion dollars and was responsible for supplying the world fish markets with more than 2 million tons of tuna annually.

"We acknowledge the challenges now facing the four main tuna stocks of skipjack, yellowfin, albacore and bigeye, both in catch and yields and the pressing need to control level of fishing efforts in order to sustainably harvest bigeye tuna."

He said they had in place robust regimes to ensure full compliance with fisheries policies and the application of conservation and management issues.

"Our strength is our numbers and togetherness so the principle of regional solidarity must be at the forefront as we address issues and challenges of fisheries management, development, monitoring, control and surveillance," he said.