Officers learn about monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing

HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, MONDAY 29 JUNE 2009: Fisheries and compliance officers from Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu are in Honiara this week to learn more about monitoring, control and surveillance of illegal fishing.

The Week 5 FFA Component of the National Fisheries Officers’ Surveillance Course opened today in Honiara at the FFA Conference Centre. This is the final week in the 5-week course, the rest of the course being conducted by AMC Search Ltd in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

The Course is an annual event funded by the Australian Department of Defence and facilitated by staff of the Australian Maritime College and the FFA. The course is aimed at developing expertise and capacity of national officers responsible for monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing in the region.

WCPFC Subregional Workshops

FFA is coordinating subregional workshops so that all its 17 members have information and informal discussions to prepare for their participation in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and at its next meeting in December in French Polynesia. The workshops are an important part of FFA’s ongoing efforts to increase national capacity and strengthen regional solidarity so that member countries can manage their fisheries for the benefit of people today and for future generations.

This year there will be 2 subregional workshops:
Group 1 – Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Indonesia and Philippines
15-19 June 2009, FFA Conference Centre, Honiara

Group 2 – Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu
13-17 July 2009, Hexagon Hotel, Nadi, Fiji