HONIARA (FFA)—The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has concluded Operation Island Chief 2025 (OPIC25), part of its ongoing programme of surveillance and monitoring operations to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing across the Pacific.
The operation ran from 04 – 15 August and demonstrated the strength of collective regional action in safeguarding tuna fisheries.
OPIC25 involved 13 FFA Members: Cook Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
National operations were coordinated through the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC) in Honiara, where 32 secondees and partners from these Members and regional partners worked together alongside QUAD partners Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and France, supported by regional organisations and international donors.
Eight surface patrol assets and six aircraft were deployed for the operation that had a total of 100 boardings, including 53 in port and 47 at sea. An additional 100 vessel sightings were recorded, and 12 vessels of interest were identified. Four historic cases were successfully closed in Kiribati, while several high seas transhipments were detected and are now under further investigation to determine compliance with notification requirements.
FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop said that while the majority of fishing vessels monitored were found to be compliant, the success of the operation lies in its deterrence effect and its ability to scrutinize activities that may threaten the region’s fisheries.
“Operation Island Chief demonstrates the value of collective regional action. The intelligence, surveillance and enforcement support provided by our partners, from government agencies, and commercial operators, gives our members the reach and capability needed to safeguard Pacific fisheries,” he said.
Regional organizations also played a contributing role in OPIC25, with Global Fishing catch and the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (IMCS) Network, The Pacific Community (SPC), Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) providing valuable expertise and data support. Their work was complemented by commercial partners Starboard Maritime Intelligence, HawkEye360 and Maxar Technologies, who supplied tools for monitoring and analysis.
Additional backing from donor governments including Australia and Canada, further reinforced the operation’s ability to extend surveillance coverage across the region.
Through the use of advanced satellite detection, data analysis and air surveillance, these partners strengthened the collective ability of Pacific nations to monitor fishing across vast Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and the high seas.
Operation Island Chief continues FFA’s commitment to working closely with Members and partners to protect tuna fisheries, which remain central to Pacific economies and food security.
Meanwhile, Fisheries as the Pacific’s “common currency” was at the heart of discussions when the newly accredited non-resident Ambassador of Switzerland to the Solomon Islands, paid a courtesy visit to the FFA Secretariat in Honiara last week.
Ambassador Barbara Anna Gonzenbach met with FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop to explore how Switzerland can help amplify Pacific voices in global fora, particularly in Geneva, a hub of multilateral negotiations.
Talks covered:
* Climate change impacts on fisheries
*Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
*Advancing initiatives such as the East New Britain Initiative (ENBi) to grow local value from tuna
The meeting also highlighted gender equality and support for grassroots projects that deliver direct benefits to Pacific communities.
Based in Canberra, Ambassador Gonzenbach reaffirmed Switzerland’s commitment to stronger engagement with the Pacific and pledged support for initiatives that raise regional voices and deliver results on the ground.
Pakop welcomed this, stressing that partnerships with Switzerland can advance shared priorities in sustainability, climate resilience, and inclusive development for Pacific fisheries and communities…PACNEWS