Fisheries Officials Meeting Concludes In Niue With Strong Commitments To Regional Cooperation And Sustainability

The 138th Annual Officials Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) has officially concluded in Alofi, Niue, after a productive week of deliberations and strategic discussions.

The outcomes from this meeting will now be presented to Ministers at the upcoming FFC Ministerial Meeting in July. Over five days, fisheries officials from across the Pacific focused on advancing the sustainable management of the region’s valuable tuna fisheries.

Officials addressed a wide range of strategic priorities including regional policy development, climate resilience and strengthened international engagement.

The delegates reviewed more than 50 discussion papers across over 40 agenda items, setting the stage for the FFC Ministerial Meeting in July.

The meeting received updates from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Secretariat on the review of the FFA Strategic Plan, progress on regional fisheries policies, and the need for strengthened international engagement by the FFA Secretariat to champion Members’ interests globally.

Officials also noted updates from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) on the implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the formation of Thematic Advisory Groups (TAGs), as endorsed by Pacific Leaders in 2024. Officials also heard first-hand from PIFS Acting Director, Dr Salome Taufa, on the progress of the ongoing Review of the Regional Architecture.

In his address, FFA Director-General Noan Pakop said, “This has been a highly productive and collaborative week, with robust discussions that go to the heart of effective fisheries governance. My sincere thanks to Chair Poi Okesene for your strong leadership and steady guidance throughout. The strong engagement from Members, observers, CROP agencies, and partners was a key to the success of the 138th Officials Meeting. A special thank you to Niue - from the Minister Mona Aniu’u’s leadership and the Prime Minister’s support to the remarkable hospitality of your community - your support has been exceptional.”

Mr Pakop also highlighted key areas of discussion, including updates on the Climate Change Strategy endorsed by Ministers last year, Global Climate Fund (GCF) project, labour standards on fishing vessels, and East New Britain Initiative.

Chair of the Meeting and Niue Director of Fisheries, Poi Okesene expressed his appreciation during his remarks at the closing, “Thank you to everyone - fisheries officials, PIFS, SPC, FFA - who made this week a success. It’s been 16 years since Niue last hosted this meeting, and it was an honour to do so again. From the comprehensive agenda to the warm hospitality and community support, Niue has truly come together to host this meeting. I’m humbled of what we’ve achieved and look forward to continued collaboration during my term as Chair.”

The Chair also acknowledged the contribution of community groups in providing local food and support throughout the meeting, as well as the core organizing team, FFA staff, and Niue government ministries.

One of the highlights was the support for the Chair’s Oceans Literacy Initiative – Investing in Our People, which promotes a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-CROP approach to strengthening ocean stewardship across the region. Another key highlight was the update on the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Strategy, adopted by FFC Ministers in 2024, which is now in its first year of implementation.

Cook Islands Head of Delegation, Pamela Maru, on behalf of the FFA Members, praised Director Okesene’s steadfast leadership, “We appreciate the FFA Director-General and Secretariat’s efforts, alongside SPC’s technical advice, as we navigated through substantive regional fisheries priorities. Chair Poi diligently kept us focused resulting in some strong outcomes. Most impressive, was the attentive and professional support that was extended to us by the DAFF team. Niue’s hospital and commitment to this process has been truly remarkable.”

The five-day meeting was attended by 80 fisheries officials from the 17 Members of the FFA. The meeting closed on Thursday (15 May 2025) with a strong sense of unity and momentum as Members prepare for the next phase of strategic planning and engagement leading into the FFC Ministers Meeting in July 2025.

About Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA)

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) assists its 17 Members to sustainably manage fishery resources that fall within their 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). The FFA provides expertise, technical assistance and other support to its members who make decisions about their tuna resources and participate in regional decision making on tuna management. Find out more here: www.ffa.int

About the Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC)

The Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) is the governing body of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). The FFC comprises of two layers of governance: the FFC Officials and the FFC Ministerial.

The FFC Officials, consisting of senior fisheries officials from the 17 Members of FFA, undertakes higher-level oversight and sets the strategic direction. They also agree on FFA’s priorities, annual reporting, and budgeting. The FFC Ministerial, made up of fisheries ministers from the 17 Members of FFA, undertakes higher-level oversight and sets the strategic direction.

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