In this video featureing Lisa Buchanan, Chief Technical Officer of the Oceanic Fisheries Management Project (OFMP3), emphasises the project’s central mission: “The key goal of the OFMP3 project is to support our 14 members who are Pacific, small island developing states, to sustainably manage their fisheries, particularly their tuna fisheries, whilst maximizing social and economic benefits for the people of the Pacific,” she says.
Covering a vast area—approximately 20% of the world’s surface—the project focuses on the management of highly migratory tuna species, making regional collaboration essential.
Collaboration at the core
Buchanan highlights that “collaboration and partnership are really, really key in project delivery.” She explains that OFMP works closely with the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members and partners such as the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office (PNAO), and WWF. “Together as a team, we’re working to achieve very ambitious project outcomes,” she notes.
Three pillars of action
OFMP’s work is structured around three main areas:
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Strengthening management frameworks and mechanisms to support sustainable fisheries.
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Capacity building and training, particularly in fisheries management and monitoring, control and surveillance.
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Bolstering our scientific knowledge base, particularly in the area of climate change and how climate change might affect fishery stock distribution in the future
Buchanan points to the project’s significant investment in training: “Over the last year, the project has funded participation from almost 500 stakeholders in our training and capacity building events.” These trainings range from stock assessment workshops to sessions on alternative livelihoods and community-based fish aggregating devices (FADs).
Climate change and future resilience
A major focus for OFMP is integrating climate change into fisheries management. “We have developed the FFA climate change strategy and implementation plan, which has been endorsed by our members,” Buchanan says. The aim is to “increase resilience of the fisheries to climate change in the Pacific and also to contribute to mitigation efforts by mitigating the impacts of climate change.” She underscores the importance of basing management frameworks on the best available science, ensuring food security, and securing alternative livelihood sources.
Empowering communities
Buchanan also stresses the importance of inclusivity: “A focus on gender and diversity is another key element of the project, and we’re really looking forward to working a lot closer with women and youth and community groups to upskill on post-harvest, processing and marketing in the second half of the project.”
She concludes with optimism: “What really gives me hope is the people. I’ve seen such strength and dedication and commitment and passion, and it is those qualities which I think will ensure the long-term prosperity of these communities”.
