The Sustainable Pacific Fisheries portfolio package will be developed over four years.
The Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones of New Zealand have announced a package of nearly $50 million to support sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years.
Moreover, this initiative aims to transfer New Zealand Parliament's recommendations about illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing through monitoring and prevention.
"This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand's commitment to assisting our Pacific partners to further develop and maintain the healthy and productive fisheries that are at the core of the region’s prosperity and sustainability," Peters said.
According to a statement released by the Government of New Zealand, the Sustainable Pacific Fisheries portfolio package includes:
Support for country capacity and capability ($19.48m)
Support for regional capacity and co-ordination ($16.49m)
A new phase of MPI-led fisheries training programme, Te Pātuitanga Ahumoana a Kiwa ($7.15m)
Supporting data monitoring through the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission ($4.63m); and
Programme support ($948k)
Additionally, Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Resources, Associate Minister of Finance, and Associate Minister for Energy, indicated: "Fisheries are vital to the Pacific, the main source of revenue by far for some countries, and New Zealand has long supported their success. We have a long-standing commitment to the region, and this funding package addresses critical next steps for our Pacific partners."
Due to climate change, a large proportion of tuna populations will move out of the exclusive economic zones of some Pacific countries. As a preventive measure, New Zealand seeks to promote greater regional cooperation.
According to The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation Status of the Stocks report, released in March 2024, the five largest catches in tonnes still are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin, and Eastern Pacific Ocean yellowfin.
"Region-wide responses are increasingly important to sustain and improve the benefits of Pacific tuna," Jones assured.
Together with the government, the main partners in this collaborative effort are the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, and New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).