1 Aug 2005

The Pacific Tuna Commission appoints a new executive director

1:25 pm on 1 August 2005

There is a new executive director of the Pacific Tuna commission.

This is the second appointment to the position in a matter of months.

Linda Skates reports rom Apia.

"Michael Lodge was to have been the Commission's inaugural director, but after lengthy discussions he has now declined to take up the position."

It's not been released why he made this decision, but he previously had expressed some concerns.

He was unhappy that the Commission would be located in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia saying it was inaccessible, expensive to get to and had a wholly inadequate infrastructure, which could cripple the effectiveness of the Tuna Commission.

The job has instead gone to biologist, Andrew Wright, a former deputy director of the Forum Fisheries Agency, who is currently with Sprep ..the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme.

Mr Wright says he's looking forward to the challenge and he says the Commission will have to balance the needs of Pacific Island countries to conserve and manage the tuna stock while still allowing access to distant water fishing nations.