Director General Pakop Calls On FFA Members To Show Solidarity

Pacific fisheries officials and delegates have convened in New Zealand since May 11 for the 142nd Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) session. This pivotal meeting addresses the future of regional fisheries cooperation and the sustainable management of tuna stocks, which are vital to the Pacific’s economic and social well-being. In his opening remarks, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director General Noan David Pakop underscored the importance of cooperation. “To remain effective and continue leading in this space, we must ensure that we are strengthening ourselves from within through stronger systems, stronger institutions, stronger governance, and stronger regional solidarity.”

The agenda topics include preparations for the upcoming WCPFC negotiations. Management procedures for tropical tuna and albacore in the South Pacific, reinforcing the united stance of coastal states, and improving cooperation on monitoring, control, and surveillance will be addressed. Recurring priorities are implementing climate change measures, securing market access, and advancing regional ambitions like the East New Britain Initiative. Pakop reminded attendees that the FFA’s overarching goal is simple yet profound: “Ensuring that Pacific people derive the greatest possible social and economic benefits from the sustainable use of our tuna resources.”