FFA works to combat unreported, misreported fish catch by licensed vessels
BY NED GAGAHE
Unreported or misreported fish catch by vessels licensed by FFA member countries has become a huge problem for the agency, it is reported.
Allan Rahari, the Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) director of Fisheries Operation says one major concern the FFA is combating is unreported or misreported catches.
In an exclusive interview with the Island Sun following the groundbreaking of the new Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre last week, Director Rahari said currently, illegal activities involving vessels stealing fish in FFA member countries’ waters are not a major issue.
“The real challenge lies in vessels licensed by our member countries, which underreport or misreport their catches.
“This is the primary focus for us at the moment.
“The centre plays a crucial role in collaborating with partners and technology experts to develop tools that can address this issue.
“One major concern is unreported and misreported catches.
“When vessels fish in member countries, they are allowed to take only a certain amount of fish.
“However, accurate reporting is essential to track the fish being taken.
“Unreported and misreported catches pose a significant challenge that we are currently addressing.
“To combat this issue, we are employing various strategies. The centre conducts regional surveillance operations throughout the year, deploying enforcement vessels and patrol boats to inspect fishing vessels.
“This involves checking catch logs and verifying the accuracy of reported catches,” Rahari said.
The Director revealed that in 2016, they have conducted a study to quantify the magnitude of IUU fishing in the Pacific fisheries, and we repeated it in 2021.
He said the goal was to understand the issues and to address it.
“The report revealed that the value and volume of fisheries products taken through illegal means have decreased.
“The work of the centre in combating illegal fishing has made a significant impact, leading to a decrease in IUU fishing.
“This is a positive outcome. However, the report also highlighted areas that require attention. One key area is focusing on vessels that are licensed members.
“Currently, illegal activities involving vessels stealing fish in our member countries are not a major issue.”
The Director also revealed that they are implementing electronic reporting, requiring fishing vessels to report their catches in real-time to fishery administrations.
“This ensures prompt analysis of catch reports and immediate enforcement action if anomalies are detected.
“Enforcement actions at the national level involve apprehending vessels that underreport or misreport catches, followed by investigation and prosecution.
“Regional enforcement actions aim to hold vessels accountable for breaching national laws and can result in blacklisting if necessary,” Rahari said.
