While enjoying the benefits of the current surge in fisheries revenue, PNA member countries need to prepare for future downturns in revenue to avoid shocks to government finances and services dependent on this new source of funds, said Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) CEO Dr. Transform Aqorau.

“We can’t be complacent about the income we’re receiving now,” said Dr. Transform Aqorau in Majuro this week. “One bad year of fishing will have a huge negative impact on our economies.”

Pohnpei, FSM 13 June 2015: A series of decisions made by ministers from the eight members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) will guide management and development of the western and central Pacific fishery for the next few years.

   The annual ministerial meeting was held in Pohnpei, capital of the Federated States, 11-12 June and the ministers were welcomed by President Peter Christian.

Pohnpei (Palikir), FSM 12 June 2015: Another global first yesterday for the Parties to Nauru Agreement (PNA) when they passed an initiative to trial a charge of US$1,000 on each Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) set in PNA waters.

In what was dubbed the "free school initiative," Ministers at the annual PNA ministerial meeting in Federated States of Micronesia's capital Palikir, decided that a US$1,000 fee paid on top of the Vessel Day Scheme fee would be good incentive "not to set nets on FADs."

Pohnpei, FSM 11 June 2015: The host nation of the Parties to Nauru Agreement (PNA) Ministerial Meeting has called on Ministers to be strong when making decisions given the circumstances in which they make them and the stakeholders involved.

Opening the two day meeting, Federated States of Micronesia's President His Excellency Peter Christian said limited resources, diminishing aid and the overarching threat of climate change and sea level rise would become a strong tide against efforts to better manage ocean resources.

  Majuro 27 March 2015 — Contrary to criticism levied by fishing industry officials and a New Zealand MP, the PNA is not undermining sustainability of tuna resources in the western and central Pacific ocean because of short-term greed.

   The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), which control waters where over 50 percent of the global supply of skipjack tuna is caught, are leading the region in enforcement of effective conservation initiatives, while securing fair value for fish caught in their waters, said PNA CEO Dr. Transform Aqorau.

   Majuro, Marshall Islands 22 March 2015 — A range of decisions to support the fisheries development aspirations of the eight members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) were endorsed during the PNA annual meeting held in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia during the second week of March.

   Auckland, New Zealand 21 March 2015 — The CEO of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) today rejected criticism from New Zealand and United States fishing industry interests of the organization’s tuna management system, saying these are attempts to bully small island countries that are successfully conserving fisheries resources while increasing economic benefits for themselves.