GEF II PROJECT:
NATIONAL PROJECT PREPARATION REPORTS
TONGA
Foreword
This brief report was prepared by Les Clark and Colin Brown during a visit to Nuku'alofa
from 21 to 26 June 2004. It aims to assemble information relating to Tonga necessary for the
preparation of the GEF SAP II Project.
The main aims of the report are:
· To make an assessment of the implications of the WCPF Convention for Tonga
· To identify possible interventions to support implementation by Tonga of the WCPF
Convention
· To make an analysis of the incremental costs to Tonga of activities related to the
Convention
· To undertake an analysis of stakeholders in Tonga with interests in the regional
oceanic fisheries resources
· To identify relevant consultative mechanisms in Tonga for the GEF SAP II Project
· To collect information relating to available indicators of performance in areas related
to the WCPF Convention and to the financial sustainability of Tonga's participation
in the Commission and implementation of the WCPF Convention
The report is based on available published information and information provided in the
consultations with stakeholders listed in Annex 3.
1.
Background
1.1
Status of Oceanic Fisheries
The Tongan commercial oceanic fisheries longline fleet grew rapidly from one vessel
catching around 200 tonnes annually in the early 1990s, to around 20 vessels catching around
2,000 tonnes by 2002. The catch is mainly albacore, with smaller but valuable amounts of
bigeye and yellowfin. Most of the longline catch is landed in Nuku'alofa, the only outlet for
air freight, although some domestic vessels also discharge catch in Pago Pago. Over 90% of
the catch is taken in Tongan waters but more recently there has been a small amount of
fishing by Tongan vessels in neighbouring areas of high seas and national waters. Tonga
does not licence foreign vessels directly they operate only under Tongan control, and are
considered as part of the Tongan domestic fleet..
In recent years, the commercial offshore fishery has become a large and important industry in
Tonga, with the value of output reaching T$15 million in 2001.
Falling albacore catch rates apparently related largely to oceanographic conditions
undermined the viability of the fishery in 2003, and caused uncertainty about the future of the
commercial tuna fishery in Tonga. A gradual recovery in catch rates is reported at June 2004.
Subsistence and small scale fishing for oceanic species, based mainly on trolling and FADs,
remains important for food security and income generation. There is also a small but
increasingly important sport fishery targeting a range of large pelagic fish operating from
Nuku'alofa and Vava'u.
1.2
Oceanic Fisheries Management
The major objectives of tuna management and development policy set out in the Tonga Tuna
Management and Development Plan are to:
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· "ensure that the utilisation of Tonga's national tuna resource is compatible with the
sustainable harvesting of the tuna stocks throughout their range;
· maximise economic benefits to Tonga from the utilisation of its tuna resources, including
harvesting and processing; and
· contribute to the food security of Tongan subjects and, through the sustainable
utilisation of the tuna stocks, the global community."
The commercial tuna longline fishery is managed under a limit to numbers of licensed
vessels, currently set at 50 vessels.
Closed areas protect smaller scale fisheries. Currently, larger commercial vessels are
prohibited from fishing within 12 miles of islands and major reefs, and the Government is
considering a more comprehensive closure around the main island archipelago.
1.3
Oceanic Fisheries Institutional Arrangements
The Ministry of Fisheries is the primary agency responsible for oceanic fisheries
management. The Ministry has an establishment of 104 posts (93 filled) , and an annual
operating budget of T$1 million. Oceanic fisheries is the major focus of the work of the
Ministry, but inshore fisheries and aquaculture are also important in Tonga. Within the
Ministry, responsibilities for oceanic fisheries include:
· Economic & Finance Division responsible for economic analysis and planning, and
commercial services
· Research & Management Division, responsible for resource assessment and
development, port sampling and community development; and
· Access & Compliance Division, responsible for fisheries management planning,
compliance and certification, licensing and monitoring
Revenue from oceanic fisheries is around $700,000 per year,
A 4 year, A$5.7 million AusAID fisheries project is currently programmed to finish in
January 2006. The Project has 4 components covering institutional capacity building, small
scale fisheries development, commercial fisheries development and community-based
management.
The other government organisation with a significant role in oceanic fisheries management is
the Tongan Defence Services which is very well equipped.
Consultation with stakeholders is undertaken through the Tuna Management Committee,
which has representation from the Ministry of Fisheries, other relevant Government
Ministries/Divisions, other island districts, the Tongan Export Fisheries Association, the
commercial sport fishing industry; and non-government organisations.
Under the new Fisheries Management Act, a statutory Fisheries Management Advisory
Committee will be established, with provision for management committees for individual
fisheries to be established in fishery plans.
1.4
Donor Involvement
There is no other significant donor involvement in oceanic fisheries management besides
AusAID.
1.5
Other Oceanic Fisheries Management Issues
Other oceanic fisheries management issues that arose in the mission to Tonga include:
· Bilateral access: recent oceanographic changes and growth of the Tongan fleet have
highlighted the need for Tongan vessels to have access to other waters for oceanic
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fishing, including the waters of some neighbouring states. Tonga plans to secure this
access with bilateral agreements with some neighbouring states.
· Declaration of EEZ and delineation of maritime zones; Tonga is in the process of
formally declaring its EEZ, and will then need to delineate its EEZ boundaries this will
involve boundary agreements with five neighbouring states and territories.
2.
Tonga and the WCPF Convention
2.1
Overview
With a tuna industry based on longlining, Tonga's primary aims in the MHLC and Prep Con
process have been:
i)
to ensure the application of measures to ensure the sustainability of the region's tuna
stocks and fisheries. Key elements of this for Tonga have been:
· ensuring the long term sustainability of the longline fishery targeting albacore,
but with important catches of bigeye and yellowfin; and
· implementing controls on the impact of purse seine fishing on juvenile bigeye
and yellowfin because of the effects this could have on catches by Tonga's
longline fleet.
ii)
to ensure that Tonga secures at least a fair share of access to the region's tuna
resources.
As a Member of the Commission and a Party to the WCPF Convention, four major short
term areas of implications for Tonga are seen as follows:
i)
legal reforms, which are substantially completed as discussed below:
ii)
strengthened arrangements for management of fishing in Tongan waters, particularly
enhanced monitoring and control efforts to improve information for scientific
purposes and address IUU fishing;
iii)
the introduction of new arrangements for management of Tongan vessels outside
Tongan waters, including the high seas and the waters of other States; and
iv)
participation in the processes related to the Commission, including involvement of
non-government interests, especially the offshore fishing industry.
As part of a broader institutional strengthening programme, Tonga has made substantial
progress towards developing the capacity to implement its obligations under the Convention,
and has plans in place to complete this process. If this progress can be sustained, Tonga
should provide a "best practice" model of the approach to realignment, reform and
restructuring that a Pacific Island country can adopt to both prepare it for the implementation
of the Convention and to build a base for benefiting from sustainable oceanic fisheries
development.
2.2
Implications of the Convention
2.2.1
Legal
The new Fisheries Management Act is now in force. It includes all necessary powers for
implementation of the UN Fish stocks Agreement and the WCPF Convention, and regulations
are in the process of being promulgated. This will complete the immediate legal needs by
Tonga for implementation of the Convention.
The National Environment Act governs environmental activities. The work of the
Department of Environment in marine conservation is focused largely on protection of
endangered species in inshore waters, particularly through education and awareness raising
activities. There are no environmental NGOs active in fisheries.
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The table below summarises the status of Tonga's adoption of relevant international legal
instruments and declarations.
Instrument
Status
WCPF Convention
Ratified
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
Ratified
UN Fish Stocks Agreement
Ratified
FAO Code of Conduct
Principles included in new legislation and Tuna
Management Plan
WSSD fisheries targets
Not formally adopted
Convention on Biological Diversity
Acceded
FAO Compliance Agreement
Accepted (check??)
FAO International Plans of Action
Not implemented
FFA Minimum Terms & Conditions
Implemented
Driftnet Convention
Ratified
Tonga has substantial legal capacity in its government legal offices, but the Crown Law office
is overloaded, and Tonga needs assistance for major technical initiatives in fisheries law.
Assistance in the revision of the Fisheries Act was provided by FAO and Commonwealth
Secretariat. A post for a legal officer has now been created in the Ministry. Recent
experience has shown a need to build understanding among offices such as Crown Law and
Police of the need to take account at the local level of the global significance of moves against
IUU fishing, including capacity building in the area of prosecution.
2.2.2
Policy/Institutional
The Tongan fisheries administration is going through a major programme of realignment and
strengthening, in many areas with the support of the AusAID Project. Key features of that
reform include:
· Increased emphasis on fisheries management as the core focus of the Ministry and a
reduced role for the Ministry in operational activities, achieved through commercialising
some activities and using cost recovery processes and contracting arrangements to reduce
the size of the fisheries Public Service establishment
· Strengthening of monitoring programmes (with assistance from the GEF IW Project
through SPC), and economics, compliance, statistics, law and resource assessment
programmes
At the same time, there has been a systematic reform of oceanic fisheries policies including:
· adoption of a Tuna Management Plan, consistent with the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, as
the key instrument of oceanic fisheries policy. The Plan is to be reviewed, taking into
account the coming ito force of the WCPF convention among other things;
· establishment of a Tuna Management Committee, now given a statutory basis in the new
Act the committee is seen as needing streamlining to be more effective in its operations;
· review of licensing terms and conditions
· support for the strengthening of private sector stakeholder institutions
When these reforms are completed, the Tongan Government will have substantially
completed the institutional reforms, policy reviews and strengthening of fisheries
management programmes necessary to modernise its oceanic fisheries sector. This means
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that Tonga will be well placed to implement the WCPF Convention and decisions of the
WCPF Commission, and to continue to develop and benefit from its oceanic fisheries. There
will however be a continuing need for capacity building in fisheries management and policy
making, particularly in areas related to the work of the WCPF Commission to ensure that
Tonga participates effectively in the work of the Commission, including being able to ensure
that Tonga's interests are taken into account in this work; and to build support among
stakeholders for the effective implementation of decisions of the Commission.
The cost of financial contributions for Tonga to the WCPF commission is expected to be in
the range of US$6-10,000 per year once the Commission is fully established.
2.2.3
Compliance
Within the overall institutional strengthening of the Ministry, substantial progress has been
made in strengthening compliance activities, including:
· The establishment of a National MCS Committee aimed at improving coordination of
MCS activities between fisheries and other agencies, and a Ministerial Council and
Operational Task Force to coordinate compliance actions
· A new national VMS, and a new VMS section within the Access & Compliance Division
financed by a new cost recovery scheme, and start-up of the FFA Regional VMS.
· Reform of the licensing activities and vessel register, and establishment of an inter-
agency Licensing Committee
Tonga has a strong capacity to enforce its fisheries laws, using 3 patrol vessels (provided and
supported through the Australian Pacific Island Patrol Boat Programme) and a patrol aircraft
operated by the Tonga Defence Services. It is also assisted by regular surveillance flights by
Australia, France and New Zealand (more regularly), and Germany has also recently
indicated that it will provide air surveillance flights.
There are inspection programmes in place for transhipment and landings in Tonga. Further
training of inspectors is important.
The strengthening of compliance activities has already been successful in apprehending
several locally-based foreign vessels involved in illegal fishing.
Flag State Responsibilities
A major new responsibility for Tonga under the Convention is the need to regulate fishing by
Tongan vessels outside Tongan waters. Some Tongan vessels fish outside Tongan waters, but
control over these vessels is currently not well exercised. The extent of this fishing is
presently limited because Tongan vessels are generally small, but may increase as larger
vessels are used. The new Act includes a requirement for vessels to be authorised to fish
outside Tongan waters, and this provision will be applied. Tongan vessels fishing outside
Tongan waters are controlled by both the national and FFA VMS, and this is already
improving control.
2.2.4
Monitoring
Tonga is involved in systematic strengthening of monitoring functions as part of the current
fisheries institutional strengthening programme, with support from the AusAID project
supplemented by assistance from SPC/OFP (including assistance under the current GEF IW
Project), and from FFA. Features are:
· Logsheets: the level of logsheet coverage of the longline fleet has been improving in
recent years and current logsheet coverage is considered high (about 80%).
· Port sampling: there is a high level of coverage (70-100%) of the longline fleet by the
port sampling programme. A number of domestic vessels may discharge their catch in
Pago Pago. These landings are covered by NMFS port sampling staff.
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· Landings: landings data are collected via the port sampling programme, although
coverage is less than 100%.
· Observers: Tonga has recently commenced a national observer programme, with partial
cost recovery financing. The programme is particularly aimed at monitoring the
operations of the locally-based foreign vessels. The level of coverage is around 20-30%.
Additional observers are being contracted and out-sourced, but within a system of
improved conditions to improve the sustainability of the programme. Tonga is keen to
have more Tongan observers achieve certification for regional programmes.
Overall, Tonga is preparing to meet expanded monitoring requirements under the WCPF
Convention and expects to be able to do so. The major assistance needed will be for
continuing training for observers, port samplers and statistical staff. It is not viable for
Tonga to establish its own training programmes for the small numbers involved, and Tonga
sees itself continuing to rely on the regional organisations for this function.
2.2.5
Scientific Analysis
Tonga sees the development of a national capacity for scientific analysis on oceanic fisheries
as an important priority. Tonga will continue to rely on SPC for stock assessment analysis
and related advice support in this area from SPC has improved but SPC's capacity to
provide this support still falls short of what Tonga needs. Tonga also wants to develop its
own capacity to interpret and apply the regional results and to be able to interpret data from
national monitoring programmes there are two posts in stock assessment and one of these is
a new post specifically for tuna research.
There is a national catch and effort database, but assistance will be needed to produce the
verified estimates of annual catch by species, gear and fleet for Tongan waters expected to be
required to meet the data standards established by the Commission.
3.
Potential Contribution of SAP II Project
With the AusAID Project in place, continuing to commit substantial resources to institutional
strengthening, there is not the same need for in-country assistance in this direction from the
GEF SAP II Project in Tonga in the next year or two as in some other countries. Rather,
Tonga's needs are for continuing support from the FFA and SPC regional programmes in law,
economics, science and compliance; with a potential role for the SAP II Project in
contributing later on to the sustainability of some of the programmes being established or
expanded under the AusAID Project. The specific areas in which assistance would be
needed from the GEF SAP II Project will be clearer as the AusAID Project enters its final
stage.
.Activity
Incremental Actions
Possible Assistance
Legal
Revise Legal framework
Revise Act and Regs (Largely
completed)
Establish Fisheries Law
Train new legal officer
Attachments etc
programme
Support Commission
Provide legal advice
Regional Legal Workshops
participation
Implement Commission
Provide legal advice, change
In-country Prosecution Workshop
decisions
regulations, licences
Policy
Participate in regional
Commission financial
policy formulation
contributions
Regional Fisheries Management
Commission meeting participation
Training/Consultations
Attachments
Additional FFA Meeting
Regional Fisheries Management
participation
Training/Attachments/Workshops/
6
Consultations
Compliance
Increase IUU deterrence
Improve licensing, vessel register
Regional MCS Working Group
in-zone
Improve effectiveness of patrol,
participation
inspection, investigation,
In-country and regional Inspection,
prosecution
VMS staff training
Ensure flag vessel
New authorisation process; inform
Regional Training on flag state
control and compliance
Commission
responsibilities
Monitoring
Improve at-sea data
Expand Observers
Ongoing in-country and regional
Improve catch
Expand Port sampling
training of port samplers by SPC and
composition data
observers by FFA/SPC
Science
Improve national
Strengthen statistical capacity
Statistical support from SPC
statistical info.
Provide catch/effort
estimates to the
Commission
Improve
understanding Strengthen national capacity to Ongoing support from SPC
of oceanic resources and analyse national data
Training for national scientific staff
ecosystem
Strengthen national capacity to to interpret stock assessments and
interpret regional analyses
oceanographic information
Enhanced capacity to interpret
oceanographic information
ANNEXES
Annex 1
Incremental Cost/Co-financing Analysis
Annex 2
Stakeholder Inventory and Analysis (including consultative mechanism
inventory)
Annex 3
Record of Stakeholder Consultation
Annex 4
Indicator Availability
Annex 5
Sustainability Analysis
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Annex 1
Incremental Cost/Co-financing Analysis
Summary
National Funding
Total 2005-2009 co-
Theme
Total 2005-2009
Baseline
financing
(TP 000)
1 Law
18
77
2 Policy/Management
30
180
3 Compliance
4850
275
4 Monitoring
286
222
5 Science
36
109
Total
5220
863
Supported by a substantial AusAid-funded institutional strengthening project, Tonga has established several new posts in
oceanic fisheries management areas.
Co-financing cost estimates based on::
Law: recruitment of a legal officer
Policy/Management: participation in the activities of the Commission, annual contribution to the Commission
Compliance: 2 new staff for MCS, especially VMS, high seas patrol costs
Monitoring: additional observers/port samplers to be hired
Science: two additional research staff tasks include preparation of data for the Commission
Donor Funding
Total 2005-2009
Theme
Donor
Project
Total 2005-2009 Incremental
Baseline
(TP 000)
Germany
Aerial Surveillance
400
Compliance
Institutional
AusAID
Strengthening
600
Management
Base Data
2004
2004 OFM
Institution
Programme Theme
%OFM
Budget
Budget
Fisheries D ExecutiveMgmt Policy/Mgmt
48
25%
12
Offshore
Monitoring
179
40%
71.6
Fisheries D Fisheries
9
Science
179
5%
9.0
Fisheries D Reg&Enforce Compliance
100
80%
80
Police
Maritime
Compliance
1000
100%
1000
For Aff
Policy/Mgmt
500
1%
5
A.G.
Law
500
1%
5
Total
1182.6
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Annex 1
Incremental Cost/Co-financing Analysis
Details
2004
2004
2004 WCPF
2005-2009
Total
Theme
Institution Programme
OFM
Non-WCPF
New WCPF Increment
Increment
Baseline
Incr
budget
Baseline
2005
2006
2007
2008 2009 Total
1 Law
A.G.
Law
5
1.5
3.5
17.5
14
14
14
14
14
70
77.5
2 Policy/Mgmt Fisheries D ExecutiveMgmt
12
6
6
30
20
20
20
20
20
100
130
For Aff
Pacific
5
5
0
0
5
5
5
5
5
25
50
3 Compliance Fisheries D Compliance
80
10
70
350
15
15
15
15
15
75
125
Police
Maritime
1000
0
1000
4500
30
30
30
30
30
150
150
Offshore
4 Monitoring Fisheries D
71.6
14.32
57.28
286.4
30
30
30
30
30
150
222
Fisheries
Offshore
5 Science
Fisheries D
8.95
1.79
7.16
35.8
20
20
20
20
20
100
109
Fisheries
1182.6
38.61
1143.94
5219.7
670
863
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Annex 2 Stakeholder Inventory and Analysis (including consultative mechanism inventory)
Country:
Tonga
Date:
24 June, 2004
Data Recorder: Colin Brown, cibn@oyster.net.ck
Description of
Stakeholder analysis and preliminary participation plan
Interests
Representative/
1o s/holder
2o s/holder
Other
Stakeholder
Contact details
post
[factors that may
[role in decision-
[2-way flow of
influence
making]
information]
participation]
[Keep informed]
National
fisheries
X
Ministry of Fisheries
Secretary
Tel: 21399
authority
Department of Environment
Director
Tel: 25050
GEF Focal Point
X
Ministry of Finance
Secretary
Financial architecture
X
National
ports
X
Marine and Ports
Secretary
authority
Ministry
of
Labour,
National
industry
X
Secretary
Commerce & Industries
authority
National
planning
X
Department of Planning
Director
authority
Tonga Defence Services
Commander
Surveillance
X
Ports Authority
Manager
Ports operations
X
Tonga
Game
Fishing
X
Representative
Game fishing
Association
Chamber of Commerce
Representative
Business sector
X
Export Fisheries Association
Representative
Tuna fishing interests
X
TANGO
Representative
NGOs
X
Snapper Fishery operators
Representative
Inshore fisheries
X
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Fishing Companies
fishing
X
Small scale fishers
fishing
X
General Public
X
Inventory of Project-related national consultative mechanisms
Consultative
Parent/host body
Representative/
Area(s)
Frequency
Members and affiliations
body
of
of
contact details
interest
meetings
Tuna
Fisheries Division
Tel: 21399
Tuna
Govt agencies, fishing & processing
Management
fishery
companies, Chamber of Commerce, NGO
Committee
representative,
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Annex 3 Record of Stakeholder Consultation
GEF SAP II Country Mission
Tonga
Friday 25 June, 2004
Stakeholder Consultation
The Mission to Samoa, held a stakeholders consultation at the Fisheries Division
headquarters to discuss the development of the SAP II project. Those present were: 'Apisake
Soakai, Secretary for Fisheries; `Ulunga Fa'anunu, Deputy Secretary for Fisheries, Dr
Vailala Matoto, Fisheries Officer; Anitimoni Petelo, Principle Fisheries Officer; Peter
Flewwelling (AusAID); Mark Wilson (AusAID); Secretary for Finance; Secretary for Marine
and Ports; Secretary for Labour, Commerce and Industries; Director for Planning;
Commander Tonga Defence Services; Heinz Koester, Tonga Game Fishing Association;
Tonga Chamber of Commerce; Bill Holden, `Alatini Fisheries; Lennie Niit, Tonga Marine
Project; Naitilima Tupou, South Pacific Resources; TANGO Representative;
The consultation followed on from a detailed presentation with a broader group of
stakeholders as part of a 4 day tuna conference held in Tonga in October 2003, with support
from the GEF IW Project.
Issue raised during the consultation were:
· a discussion on WCPF Commission outcomes be included as an agenda item at all Tuna
Management Committee meetings
· stakeholder input into the tuna management process is important and the project should
develop mechanisms to facilitate this
· Tonga's input at meetings of the Tuna Commission would be enhanced with the
involvement of stakeholders
· a sub-committee of the Tuna Management Committee to be comprised of a representative
from MoF, the industry and one other member of the TMC should be set up to coordinate
work related to the Convention/Commission and to be the National Consultative
Committee for the SAP II Project
· the need for information on when the high seas boarding and inspection system would be applied
to the various Parties
Other consultations held were:
Ministry of Fisheries:
· Ulunga Fa'anunu, Deputy Secretary
· Apisake Soakai, Deputy Secretary
· Vailala Matoto, Fisheries Officer
· Anitimoni Petelo, Principal Fisheries Officer
AusAID (MoF Project)
· Marc Wilson, Project Director
· Peter Flewwelling, MCS Adviser
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Department of Environment:
· Uilou Samani, Director (GEF Operational Focal Point)
Tonga Defence Services (Navy)
· Commander Sione Fifita
Media coverage of the Convention and oceanic fisheries management generally was extensive
during the Mission's visit to Tonga. The Broadcasting Corporation of Niue showed an extensive
interview on the Convention with the acting Secretary of Fisheries, and a shorter interview with
Les Clark on the Convention and the Project. This was associated with extensive publicity about
the arrest of a locally-based foreign fishing vessel for targeting sharks inside a closed area,
detected with the use of the new national VMS.
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Annex 4 Availability of National Indicators
Current Value, if easily
Indicator
Availability
available
1. Coverage of:
a) catch and effort logsheets: domestic fleet
Around 80%
Not
b) catch and effort logsheets: foreign fleet
applicable
c) port sampling
70-100%
d) observers: domestic fleet
20-30%
2. Levels of budgets and staffing for these
programmes
3. Levels of fleet capacity and fishing effort
4. Catch of target species,
5. Levels of mortality of related species,
including bycatch and seabirds
Note: this analysis does not include a range of national indicators which are known to be available for all
countries such as status of legislation, undertaking of national reforms etc.
Annex V - Sustainability Analysis
Annual Government Revenue from Licensing: T$700,000
Annual In-Zone Catch Value:
Annual Domestic Catch Value:
(Data above to be estimated by FFA)
Annual Production Value (including value of processing): T$ 10-15 million
Expected Annual Commission Contributions: US$6-10,000
Estimated Annual Government Incremental Costs: T$170,000
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