Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency facts for kids
Logo of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency
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| Abbreviation | FFA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 9 August 1979 |
| Type | International organization |
| Purpose | Fisheries management |
| Headquarters | Honiara, Solomon Islands |
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Area served
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Pacific Ocean |
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Membership
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17 state members |
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Director General
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Manumatavai Tupou |
The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is a special group that helps countries in the Pacific Ocean work together. It was started in 1979. Its main goal is to make sure that fish in the ocean, especially those that travel far like tuna, are caught in a smart way. This helps protect fish for the future and benefits the people in the Pacific Islands. The FFA's main office is in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Contents
History of the FFA
The idea for the FFA came from a meeting called the South Pacific Forum in 1977. Then, in 1979, 14 countries signed an international treaty (a formal agreement between countries) to create the FFA. Most of these countries were small islands in the Pacific, along with Australia and New Zealand. Later, Tokelau also joined in 2002.
Who are the FFA Members?
The FFA has 17 member countries and territories. They all work together to manage fishing in their waters.
FFA Leadership
The current leader of the FFA is called the Director General. Her name is Manumatavai Tupou from Tonga. The Deputy Director General is Matthew Hooper from New Zealand.
What the FFA Does
The FFA helps its member countries work together to manage tuna fishing. Tuna are very important fish in the Pacific. The FFA helps create rules and agreements to make sure tuna are caught sustainably. This means catching enough fish for people now, without harming the fish population for the future.
Here are some of the important agreements and activities the FFA helps with:
The Nauru Agreement (PNA)
This is an agreement between some of the FFA members. It helps them manage tuna fishing in their special ocean areas called Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). An EEZ is a part of the ocean where a country has special rights to explore and use marine resources. The Nauru Agreement sets rules for how much tuna can be caught and how fishing boats should operate. For example, it requires special observers on fishing boats to make sure rules are followed. It also has rules about not fishing near certain floating objects called FADs during certain months. The PNA now has its own office, but the FFA helped it get started.
The Tokelau Arrangement (TKA)
This is a newer agreement that started in 2014. It focuses on a different type of tuna called albacore tuna, which lives in cooler waters. It helps countries manage longline fishing for these tuna. Longline fishing uses a very long line with many hooks. The countries involved are working to agree on how much albacore tuna can be caught in their EEZs.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
The FFA members played a big part in creating this important group. The WCPFC manages highly migratory fish, like tuna, across a large part of the Pacific Ocean. The FFA members work together within the WCPFC to suggest new rules for protecting and managing fish. The FFA also helps its smaller island members follow these rules in their own countries.
The Niue Treaty
This treaty helps FFA members work together to stop illegal fishing. It allows countries to share information, like tracking data from fishing boats (VMS). It also lets patrol vessels from one country chase suspected illegal fishing boats into another country's waters, if agreed upon. This makes it harder for illegal fishers to escape.
The US Treaty
This is an agreement between Pacific Island countries and the United States. It allows US fishing boats to fish for tuna in the EEZs of the Pacific Island countries. This treaty has been in place since 1987 and helps create a stable way for fishing to happen in the region.
Harmonized Minimum Terms and Conditions (MTCs)
The FFA helps create common rules for foreign fishing boats that want to fish in the Pacific Islands. These rules are like a template that countries can use to update their own laws. This makes sure that all foreign fishing boats follow similar standards, no matter which Pacific Island country they are in.
Besides setting rules, the FFA also helps its member countries develop their own fishing industries. This includes looking at how fishing can help their economies, finding ways to attract investment, and making sure their fish products meet international standards for selling to other countries.
See also
- South Pacific Tuna Treaty
