Fisheries workshop underway

Representatives from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and Timor-Leste, met at the Rarotongan Beach Resort for the Third Regional ACP Fish II Programme Monitoring Workshop and Monitoring & Evaluation. Present also were representatives of The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
The ACP Fish II Programme has been operational since June 2009, and is funded under the 9th European Development Fund. In an attempt to prevent degradation and depletion of the natural fish resources, the Programme is focused on ensuring sustainable and equitable management of fisheries in ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of countries) Regions.
According to Mr. Augustine Mobiha, Regional Manager at the Pacific RFU, 22 national and regional fisheries projects have been implemented within the Pacific Region. Of those projects, three have been completed; one is ongoing, whilst the remaining 18 projects are at various levels of development.
In addition to discussing the status of the projects, the workshop has three objectives; 1) to monitor, identify and implement corrective actions; 2) undertake training to understand the revised ACP Fish II monitoring and evaluation system; 3) expose Participants to selected fishery realities in Rarotonga.
For Cook Islands Representative and Chairperson, Peter Graham, it is a privilege to be hosting this workshop. It offers the Cook Islands Fisheries Department an avenue to seek financial support for proposals that are currently under development. According to Graham, the proposals involve community consultations that are both vital, and costly. Additional funding will thus assist with such costs, as well as other methods of strengthening fisheries management.
This Workshop, which is the third of its kind, will run until the 16th of this month . The first was held in Samoa, followed by another in Suva, Fiji. The fourth and final Workshop is scheduled to take place in the Solomon Islands in 2013.

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