The United States Government has completed the process to join the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the U.S. membership will include the participation of American Samoa, Guam and CNMI.
The commission is a treaty-based organisation established to conserve and manage tuna and other highly migratory fish stocks across a vast range of the Pacific Ocean.
The U.S. State Department, says the U.S. Embassy in Wellington delivered the U.S. instrument of ratification for the commission to the New Zealand government, which acts as Depository for the Commission.
The U.S. membership becomes effective July 28, 2007.
Although the US Pacific territories are allowed as participating territories, the U.S. State Department will be the main voice in dealing with agreements and negotiations with international countries.
