100% Observers And Centralized Data To Control PNA Tuna Catchesff
12 April 2011
Tuvalu The PNA ministers summit in Tuvalu last week agreed to meet and sustain the agreed objective of 100% observer coverage on the purse seine fishing vessels fishing in their countries EEZ’s. It was decided to establish a PNA Observer Agency to coordinate their own observers and to establish coordination hubs in Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) to manage travel and administrative arrangements for PNA observers.
At the same time the ministers also agreed that more Pacific islanders should get a job on board of foreign purse seiners fishing in their waters . Earlier they agreed on a 10% minimum Pacific Islander crew on board purse seine fishing vessels, and during last week meeting they voted to establish a PNA Crewing Agency in Tarawa, Kiribati.
Observers will be supported by an innovative information management system. The PNA nations agreed to take control of its fisheries data and integrate this in an online tuna fisheries info system ( which will integrate and include log sheets, observer reports, surveillance reports, license information, days allowed and other key data). With centralizing data the nations believe they will gain a much higher level of control over their tuna fisheries, which hopefully can contribute to establishing a sustainable fishery.
