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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Funding to Address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing in the Pacific

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    Description
    Description
    This is a four-year investment valued at approximately USD 3.29 million (AUD 4.4 million 2017-2021) to increase capacity in Pacific island countries (PICs) to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region. IUU fishing is an ongoing challenge for Pacific Island countries. A 2016 Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) report on the quantification of IUU fishing in the Pacific Islands region estimated that around 10 per cent of the overall catch is estimated as IUU, valued at approximately USD 616 million per annum.

    The Regional Roadmap for Sustainable Pacific Fisheries endorsed by Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Leaders in 2015 highlights that IUU fishing robs the Pacific of revenue as well as economic and social development opportunities. As a result, the Roadmap identifies reducing IUU fishing as a key strategy to achieve the goals of improving sustainability of tuna fisheries, increasing the value of tuna catch, creating new jobs in the tuna industry and ensuring food security for Pacific Island countries.

    Effective maritime monitoring, surveillance, control, enforcement and information-sharing are essential in combatting IUU fishing. The Niue Treaty Subsidiary Agreement (NTSA) is a multilateral treaty to strengthen fisheries management and provide for more cost-effective and efficient maritime surveillance in the Pacific region. Currently the NTSA has nine parties and entered into force on 30 July 2014. This project will support PICs through the early technically-demanding stages of ratification and implementation of the NTSA by:
    enhancing regional information sharing and cooperation;
    supporting risk-responsive tasking of assets; and
    increasing capacity to undertake enforcement operations.

    Technical assistance will be provided by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department (AGD) and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), and the FFA. The partnership with the FFA is designed to maintain sustainability of the project in the long-term, whilst providing support to the FFA and its members in the early stages of ratification and implementation of the NTSA
    Partners
    Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) (regional organisation)

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.4 By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
    14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
    14.c Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
    Technical assistance to Pacific Island countries to ratify and implement the NTSA on cooperative maritime surveillance and enforcement
    Standard operating procedures to underpin targeted IUU risk based monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) operations in the region
    Increased regional, national and officer level capacity to undertake enforcement operations, including cooperative operations
    Financing (in USD)
    3290000
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 July 2017 (start date)
    01 June 2021 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Attorney-General’s Department, Australian Fisheries Management Authority
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Canberra, Australia
    Ocean Basins
    South Pacific
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Sustainable fisheries, Sustainable blue economy, Implementation of international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Liz Brierley, Pacific Fisheries and Oceans Specialist, Fisheries and Environment Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade