A proposal by Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) member Marshall Islands, backed by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), would require the Tuna Commission members to account for the impact of their actions on Small Island Developing States.

The proposal will be discussed at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in Cairns this week.

The WCPFC meets annually to decide rules on tuna conservation and management in the world’s largest tuna fishery – the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. This week, PNA countries have been pushing for the WCPFC to reduce the so-called “conservation burden” on Pacific countries.

This burden includes the cost (including financial and opportunity cost) of implementing conservation and management measures in PNA countries (which generally have limited revenue and government resources).

Director of Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority Glen Joseph said: “While PNA members bear the conservation burden, foreign fishing nations profit from fishing tuna managed by the PNA. Under international fisheries agreements, WCPFC member countries should respect the rights of Small Island Developing States and not put what is called a ‘disproportionate burden’ on us.”

“We need to increase the Tuna Commission’s fairness and accountability on the rights of Small Island Developing States. Today, we propose that every conservation and management measure put to WCPFC is accompanied by a statement which would reveal how the measure would impact Pacific countries and territories. If the statement reveals the measure is likely to have a negative impact on us, then that measure must not be adopted and must change to counter any negative impacts.”

“This would introduce a new level of accountability in this Tuna Commission. While the Commission Convention says the WCPFC will respect the rights of Small Island Developing States and not transfer a disproportionate burden, we need these impact statements to have a process to ensure this is not the case.”

Before a measure can be considered or submitted to the WCPFC an impact statement addressing these questions must be prepared:

a. Who is required to implement the proposal?
b. Which Small Island Developing States and Territories would this proposal impact and in what way(s) and what proportion?
c. Is this impact positive (benefit) or negative (cost) for Small Island Developing States and Territories?
d. Does the proposal protect development options for Small Island Developing States?
e. Does the proposal avoid a disproportionate burden on Small Island Developing States?
f. What are the resources, including financial and capacity, implications of this proposal? g. What assistance mechanisms and associated timeframe, including training and financial support, needs to be in place before such proposal is implemented?