HONOLULU, 11 DECEMBER 2018 (PACNEWS)—- The region’s Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has expressed support to the proposals put forward by Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to establish new Science-Management dialogue.
The idea behind the Comission’s Science-Management dialogue would allow delegates at the meeting to be better briefed on the science behind fisheries.
“We are fully supportive of the proposal to establish a scientific dialogue. We see that is the appropriate mechanism where the discussions on the development of harvest strategies can take place. Right now, we don’t have a clear space for those discussions.
“We also see it as an opportunity where our scientists can explain in layman’s terms to our managers what the science means so they can make informed management decisions. All of that to take place before we come to Commission meeting and we don’t get bogged down with the details of that at an already full commission meeting but come with some clear recommendations based on the science based on the fisheries managers having their lens on this work and bring it to Commission so that our work in that one week can be more efficient and beneficial,” said newly appointed FFA director General Dr Tupou-Roosen.
She said they have one strategy and that is to cooperate with Parties to the Nauru Agreement. (PNA).
“It is the only way we can be successful as a region and we are so pleased with the close working relationship with the PNA office in particular with the CEO Ludwig Kumoru who has been very open to working more collaboratively with FFA so we are excited about that. He mentioned earlier in the week about best practice governance and we are heartened that we share the same goal with Ludwig.
Dr Tupou-Roosen said as the new DG this will be one of her priorities to ensure that the FFA utilises best practice governance.
“One of the key aspects in this work is the participation of Small Island Developing States members and by that we mean additional funds so that they can be in the room, so that they can participate and be part of the decision-making processes for this commission.
One of the proposals from our membership is to have additional participant come not just to the commission meeting but also to the key subsidiary body meetings ahead if this commission – the scientific committee and the technical and compliance meetings. Associated with that is a proposal on hosting in SIDS territories, in SIDS countries.
The new Forum Fisheries Agency Director General believes hosting WCPFC is another fundamental aspect of effective participation.
“As we all know, when these meetings come to our homes it reaches a wider breadth of our people, they gain a better understanding of this Commission and its work and its importance to the region and it’s situated in this region in this region, in our region, and so we have the ability there to put into context the decisions we take as a Commission and why it is so important that we maximise economic returns from this fishery and why it is so important that when we maximise those economic returns we will naturally produce social yields social returns for us. Food security employment, alleviating poverty, prioritising health and education, adaptation to climate change all of those. That is why it is so critical for us to take this role responsibly this coming week,” a confident looking Dr Tupou-Roosen said. ……PACNEWS
