The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) have set their sights on improving the management of longline fishing fleets.
Tuna catch being offloaded from a longline fishing boat in Majuro Marshall Islands for export to international sashimi markets. November 18, 2014. Photo: AFP PHOTO / Hilary HOSIA
CEO Ludwig Kumoru said they planned to pick up the pace in 2019, including the continued implementation of the Vessel Day Scheme for long liners.
Mr Kumoru said they were also working to develop new business plans including identifying more economic opportunities for the industry.
"One thing that we have to remember is that when PNA was formed, it was only looking at managing the purse seine fishing fishery, which is basically fishjack.
"We never concentrated on the management of longline. But it's something that we cannot await.
"So if we have to manage tuna fishery holistically and, we have to also think about managing the longline fleet."
Mr Komuru said extending the Vessel Day Scheme would add value to their work.
"For this, parties are looking at various options for increasing the certainty of the VDS."
"Establishing a long-term allocation of fishing days for each party would provide more certainty to industry and countries in managing the VDS."
He said the key to the successful management of the longline fishery is using "electronic monitoring".
