FFA Convenes Talks On Impacts Of Climate Change On Tuna

HONIARA, 11th June 2020 – THE Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has hosted a one-day online discussion today, on the impacts of Climate Change on Offshore Fisheries.

The meeting is part of the Secretariat’s work programme emanating from Forum Fisheries Ministers. At their meeting held in Pohnpei, FSM in June 2019, Ministers agreed that this work would include:

(i) adaptive management regimes 

(ii) working with a consortium of partners to secure maritime boundaries in the face of sea-level rise and 

(iii) managing tuna stocks to support their contribution to the food security of Pacific Island communities.

FFA hosted the meeting with its partners from the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office (PNAO) and the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP).

The objective of the meeting was to inform tuna fisheries-focused discussions on climate change impacts by providing the broader context for discussions on climate change as well as the scientific advice on the predicted short and long-term effects of climate change on the WCPO tuna fishery.

FFA Director General Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen expressed the Agency’s sincere gratitude to its Partners from the PNAO and CROP, namely SPREP, SPC, PIFS and USP, for their willingness to collaborate in the delivery of the meeting.

“Our CROP Partners all play a critical role in tackling the impacts of climate change, and they will present Members with the activities they undertake in this area and the link to fisheries, particularly tuna fisheries. The important information provided by our Partners will help FFA Members understand the important linkages with the broader work undertaken on climate change and the science to help set the scene for tuna fisheries-focused discussions on the impacts of climate change on this critical regional resource,” she said.

“The PNAO’s consideration of how PNA tuna management arrangements can adapt to the impacts of Climate Change will also be presented. Their valuable insights will greatly assist FFA Members in their discussions,” added the FFA Director General.

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