Marshall Islands fisheries advisor Francisco Blaha on the deck of a purse seine fishing vessel in Majuro during tuna transshipment operations in this 2019 file photo. He is one of the contributors to the recently released study on IUU fishing in the western Pacific. Photo: Supplied
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by the United States and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency allowing US purse seine fleets to fish in the exclusive economic zones of 17 Pacific Island nations.
The document ensures continued fishing rights for the fleet in 2024, pending the formal adoption of agreed amendments to the revised South Pacific Tuna Treaty for 2025 onwards.
The agreement includes an annual $60 million (USD) payment from the US Government for the next decade, along with additional funding for economic development and climate change-related projects.
RNZ Pacific's Tiana Haxton spoke to the Director General of the Pacific Islands FFA (Forum Fisheries Agency), Dr. Manu Tupou-Roosen to find out more.
