Fiji Tightens IUU Fishing Monitoring With New Initiative

A new state-of-the-art Fisheries Monitoring Center was inaugurated in Fiji last week to combat IUU fishing. It falls under the EUR 45 million (USD 51 million) Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) program, implemented by FFA, which aims to promote sustainable ocean governance and the responsible management of marine resources. The center received FJD 400,000 (USD 176,803) in monitoring equipment as part of the initiative. An FFA statement read that the Monitoring Center will help Fiji’s Ministry of Fisheries work more efficiently to better protect marine resources and enhance sustainable management practices.

FFA Director-General Noan Pakop said: “Through systems like the Vessel Monitoring System, observer data, and national surveillance capability, we are strengthening the surveillance and enforcement capabilities of our members. This center gives Fiji the tools to do that more effectively, and we will continue working with other Members to scale up these efforts across the region.”