NEWS: Stick by VDS, MSC certification scheme and raising value of US Treaty, say PNA Ministers

KOROR, PALAU, SUNDAY 3 MARCH 2013: Ministers of Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) member countries renewed their commitment to strictly implement the Vessel Day Scheme, as they inked the agreement during the ministerial meeting on Friday.

According to PNA Resolution 01-2013, ministers of Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, and Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu agreed to a strict implementation of the VDS scheme.

The VDS is the system that is used to sustainably manage the world’s largest tuna fishery that is located in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

The ministers also agreed to impose the new minimum benchmark fee by 2014 of $6,000 vessel a day sold to foreign fishing partners.

The ministers agreed:

That strengthened implementation of the VDS and other agreed management measures will provide direct benefits to Parties individually and collectively as well as strengthening solidarity and cementing the role of the Parties as leaders in tuna management and conservation.

As part of the agreement, the Longline VDS scheme will be opened for signature for those parties who wish to participate immediately and that other parties will continue to work towards participation.

Meanwhile, regarding the Marine Stewardship Council certification of free school skipjack tuna, PNA is encouraging industry partners to deliver MSC skipjack to processors and share benefits to partners.

The PNA parties have also agreed to seek finalization of the ongoing renegotiations of the treaty with the United States. The negotiation will determine whether the U.S. purse seiners can continue fishing in the PNA waters and other member nations' Exclusive Economic Zones.

The treaty between the U.S. and the Pacific Island Parties which was developed and signed in 1987 and has been extended since, with the current expiration date of 14 June 2013.  Under the treaty it allows up to 40 US-flagged purse-seine vessels to fish in the EEZs of the 17 member parties. The current value of this treaty is at $21million, through the renegotiation process  the amount is expected to increase to $63million.   

NEWS: New benchmark fees agreed under PNA vessel day scheme

KOROR, PALAU, SUNDAY 3 MARCH 2013: Member nations of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) have agreed to implement a new benchmark fee under the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS).

Dr. Christian Ramofafia, the new PNA Chair said that officials during the 32nd Annual Meeting of the PNA in Palau decided to increase the current VDS access fee of $5,500 to $6,500 per day.

The new fee will be implemented by 2014.

“Yes we have agreed on a lot of issues, one is the minimum benchmark fee that is on 2014,” Ramofafia stated. “I think that is one of the key outcomes for VDS.”

Although the VDS implementation has suffered setback with some of the member parties exceeding the allocated fishing days, Ramofafia said in this year’s annual meeting, the officials have made commitments to stick to the rules this year and the coming years.

The eight PNA countries that include the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Republic of Marshal Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu established the VDS in 2007. The VDS is the system that is used to sustainably manage the world’s largest tuna fishery, located in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

Former PNA chair Nanette Malsol from Palau officially handed over the chairmanship to Ramofafia of the Solomon Islands during the meeting.