Top Officials Meet To Fight Illegal Tuna Fishing ff

Top government and military officials from France, Australia and New Zealand are meeting in the New Zealand capital, Wellington tomorrow (14 April) to discuss the possibility of joining forces to fight increasing illegal fishing of especially tuna in the Pacific’s exclusive economic zones (EEZ).

Heads of the French Navy based in New Caledonia and French Polynesia are also in Wellington, while Australia and New Zealand will be represented by their respective defense attachés, France’s ambassador to the Pacific, Bruno Gain.

An official from the Honiara-based Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is also expected to attend.

The main objective of the meeting was to further talks after announcements were made earlier this month on the French-Australian-New Zealand (“FRANZ) pact.

The FRANZ accord, back in 1992, was put in place to coordinate relief provided by the three countries to neighboring Pacific island states struck by natural disasters.

It was hoped through this agreement; the three countries could improve maritime surveillance in the Central and Western Pacific EEZ, thus increasing efficiency in the monitoring and protection of the Pacific Ocean’s tuna stocks and therefore step up the fight against illegal (mainly tuna) fishing.

The meeting’s outcome is expected to be a tripartite joint declaration of intent, which would pave the way for shared resources between the three Pacific powers, in particular in terms of maritime and aerial surveillance patrols, intelligence networking and the possible use of a satellite system to better monitor vessels fishing in the vast South Pacific region.

The concept also aims to assist South Pacific island states that often find it difficult to monitor their exclusive economic zones (EEZ).

“The rules may have to be enforced and this is perhaps where Australia, New Zealand and France could join together to help the island states with surveillance, monitoring and control of the fisheries in the western and central Pacific,” Australian fisheries minister Ian Macdonald said last month.

The Australian minister said the three countries will liase and possibly extend an offer to the 14 island members of the Pacific Forum about helping to police fishing agreements.

Senator Ian Macdonald was last month in Europe, where he also took part in a Ministerial Meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on illegal fishing, in Rome (Italy). He also attended the inaugural meeting of the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Fishing on the High Seas in Paris.

“Australia is now recognized as one of the leading nations in the world in the war on illegal fishing. These meetings will seek to further a global solution for what is a global problem,” Mr. Macdonald said.

“Responsible nations can no longer sit back and watch the damage being done to the planet’s environment and fragile fish stocks by organized criminal cartels. It is only by taking a united approach to clamping down on the crew-members, the owners and rogue flag states that this problem be overcome.” Mr. McDonald said.