The 138th Annual Officials Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) concluded in Niue after a productive week of deliberations and strategic discussions.
The outcomes from this meeting will now be presented to Ministers at the upcoming FFC Ministerial Meeting in July. Over five days, fisheries officials from across the Pacific focused on advancing the sustainable management of the region’s valuable tuna fisheries.
‘This has been a highly productive and collaborative week, with robust discussions that go to the heart of effective fisheries governance. My sincere thanks to chair Poi Okesene for your strong leadership and steady guidance throughout. The strong engagement from Members, observers, CROP agencies, and partners was a key to the success of the 138th Officials Meeting,’ said FFA Director-General Noan Pakop.
‘A special thank you to Niue – from the Minister Mona Aniu’u’s leadership and the Prime Minister’s support to the remarkable hospitality of your community – your support has been exceptional.’
Officials addressed a wide range of strategic priorities including regional policy development, climate resilience and strengthened international engagement.
The delegates reviewed more than 50 discussion papers across over 40 agenda items, setting the stage for the FFC Ministerial Meeting in July.
The meeting received updates from the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Secretariat on the review of the FFA Strategic Plan, progress on regional fisheries policies, and the need for strengthened international engagement by the FFA Secretariat to champion Members’ interests globally.
Officials also noted updates from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) on the implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the formation of Thematic Advisory Groups (TAGs), as endorsed by Pacific Leaders in 2024. Officials also heard first-hand from PIFS Acting Director, Dr Salome Taufa, on the progress of the ongoing Review of the Regional Architecture.
‘Thank you to everyone – fisheries officials, PIFS, SPC, FFA – who made this week a success. It’s been 16 years since Niue last hosted this meeting, and it was an honour to do so again. From the comprehensive agenda to the warm hospitality and community support, Niue has truly come together to host this meeting. I’m humbled of what we’ve achieved and look forward to continued collaboration during my term as Chair,’ commented meeting chair and Niue Director of Fisheries Poi Okesene.
One of the highlights was the support for the Chair’s Oceans Literacy Initiative – Investing in Our People, which promotes a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-CROP approach to strengthening ocean stewardship across the region. Another key highlight was the update on the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Strategy, adopted by FFC Ministers in 2024, which is now in its first year of implementation.
The five-day meeting was attended by 80 fisheries officials from the 17 Members of the FFA.
