Majuro 8 August 2015: The one-year transitional arrangement for United States vessels for 2016 is a “positive development reflecting the value of rights-based fisheries management” for the Pacific islands, said the CEO of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) today. Dr.

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.”

This is a re-send of a release issued 14 June 2015 as there were some challenges with transmission. Apologies to anyone who is receiving it twice.

Pohnpei, FSM 14 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, 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.

(Note: This is a revised version of the release emailed a few minutes ago. Please use this version. Thank you.)

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.

Pohnpei Palikir, 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 FADs" on free schools of fish.

Pohnpei June 11: 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.

Pohnpei, 11 June 2015: The outgoing Chairman of the Parties to Nauru Agreement (PNA) Ministerial meeting and Tuvalu's Fisheries Minister Pita Elisala said his nation has refused to sell fishing days to nations that have blocked their initiatives to develop and sustain their own fishery. His strong worded statement set the stage for an interesting PNA ministerial meeting at Palikir in Pohnpei this morning.

Mr Elisala said they were concerned with the way these nations had treated them in the past but they had refused to sell them fishing days.

Pohnpei 10 June 2015 —Officials of the Parties to Nauru Agreement (PNA) have made a number of recommendations for their Ministers deliberation and action tomorrow (June 10) when the Ministers meeting begins here.

After two days of meeting and exchanging views on each of the issues brought to the table the officials  have come up with a number of recommendations they will take up to their ministers.

  Majuro 9 June 2015 — Ministers from the eight members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) meet in Pohnpei this week with an agenda focusing on adopting policies and programs to expand conservation measures and improve management of the multi-billion dollar tuna fishery in the western and central Pacific.