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The collapse of fishing grounds
around the world drives fishing fleets to the Pacific. Many nations
where these fleets originate subsidise their fishing industry and are
slow to support a reduction of fishing capacity.
Although Pacific nations are blessed with an abundance of marine resources within their Exclusive Economic Zones, only a small percentage of total catch is harvested locally.
The majority of the catch is harvested by distant water fishing nations (DWFNs) like China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the US and the EU. Financial returns from DWFNs to individual Pacific nations vary with the majority of income collected from access fees.
This practice is exploitative – the financial return from access fees and licenses to the region are a mere 5 per cent of the over US$2 billion the fish is worth on the market.
The Western and Central Pacific Tuna fisheries produce 60 per cent of all canned tuna in the world and 30 per cent of tuna for the Japanese sashimi market.
These fisheries need to be protected from overexploitation. To create employment Pacific countries are developing domestication policies to encourage foreign investment in local fisheries infrastructure like canneries and loining plants.
Sufficient conservation guidelines need to be in place to safeguard the marine food supply of villagers living on the coast as this occurs.
There is heavy reliance by Pacific island nations on the income from access fees paid by foreign fishing vessels.
Economic return from the annual tuna catch in 2001 was the equivalent of 11 per cent of the combined GDP of all countries in the region.
Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Papua New Guinea (PNG), Tuvalu and Marshall Islands have rich tuna fishing grounds that attract the most fishing vessels. In 2002 Kiribati licensed 393 fishing vessels to fish in its waters – 167 purse-seiners, 225 longliners and one pole-and-liner.
The FSM in 2002 licensed 101 purse-seiners and 188 longliners. PNG licensed over 200 fishing vessels for the same period.
Within the Pacific the growing overcapacity of the purse-seine fleet is becoming a key concern.
Small-scale aging purse-seiners used by locals continue to operate with modern large-scale seiners owned by distant water fishing companies.
More large purse-seiners are being built with an eye on the Pacific. Taiwan is building super-super seiners with a 3,000 tonne capacity for use in the region.
Large numbers of vessels that previously fished in other parts of the world can be seen in Suva harbour, a central port for large-scale longliners fishing in the region. These vessels transship their catch to chartered reefer vessels bound for international ports.
Although Pacific nations are blessed with an abundance of marine resources within their Exclusive Economic Zones, only a small percentage of total catch is harvested locally.
The majority of the catch is harvested by distant water fishing nations (DWFNs) like China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the US and the EU. Financial returns from DWFNs to individual Pacific nations vary with the majority of income collected from access fees.
This practice is exploitative – the financial return from access fees and licenses to the region are a mere 5 per cent of the over US$2 billion the fish is worth on the market.
The Western and Central Pacific Tuna fisheries produce 60 per cent of all canned tuna in the world and 30 per cent of tuna for the Japanese sashimi market.
These fisheries need to be protected from overexploitation. To create employment Pacific countries are developing domestication policies to encourage foreign investment in local fisheries infrastructure like canneries and loining plants.
Sufficient conservation guidelines need to be in place to safeguard the marine food supply of villagers living on the coast as this occurs.
There is heavy reliance by Pacific island nations on the income from access fees paid by foreign fishing vessels.
Economic return from the annual tuna catch in 2001 was the equivalent of 11 per cent of the combined GDP of all countries in the region.
Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Papua New Guinea (PNG), Tuvalu and Marshall Islands have rich tuna fishing grounds that attract the most fishing vessels. In 2002 Kiribati licensed 393 fishing vessels to fish in its waters – 167 purse-seiners, 225 longliners and one pole-and-liner.
The FSM in 2002 licensed 101 purse-seiners and 188 longliners. PNG licensed over 200 fishing vessels for the same period.
Within the Pacific the growing overcapacity of the purse-seine fleet is becoming a key concern.
Small-scale aging purse-seiners used by locals continue to operate with modern large-scale seiners owned by distant water fishing companies.
More large purse-seiners are being built with an eye on the Pacific. Taiwan is building super-super seiners with a 3,000 tonne capacity for use in the region.
Large numbers of vessels that previously fished in other parts of the world can be seen in Suva harbour, a central port for large-scale longliners fishing in the region. These vessels transship their catch to chartered reefer vessels bound for international ports.
