Operation Tui Moana, a regional fisheries surveillance operation covering the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu as well as associated high seas, came to a successful end last week.
Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director of Fisheries Operations, Allan Rahari reflected on the contribution of Operation Tui Moana to the protection and compliance with fisheries management controls of approximately six million square kilometres of ocean.
‘Our Operations are focused on licensed vessels contravening their conditions rather than dark vessels these days. Our efforts have delivered a big reduction in illegal fishing and we see misreporting and under-reporting of catches and unauthorised transhipment as the larger challenge,’ he said.
‘Intelligence gathering and analysis, providing targeted information before and during operations in order to support monitoring and surveillance activities by Pacific Members is a key part of our work. Throughout the operation FFA Members have been able to utilise the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data, remote sensing technology in satellite monitoring such as the Canadian Dark Vessel Detection (DVD) system and the US HawkEye360 Radio Frequency (RF) in conjunction with the Xerra Starboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) platform which has improved our success rates.’
Operation Tui Moana was supported with four Pacific patrol vessels, five surveillance aircraft and had five national headquarters. The National headquarters also supported the Operation by providing dockside boarding and inspection support.
In addition to the ongoing Operation 365 , FFA conducts four Regional Operations every year and Tui Moana is the second one for 2023. FFA has been providing monitoring and surveillance support to the Pacific region for over four decades. The Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC) based in Honiara, received augmentation from members and partners in the form of 18 officers seconded as watchkeepers and intelligence analysts. Secondees received one week training to enhance the use of Information Management Systems (IMS) and emerging technologies to support the operation.
Pacific QUAD partners, Australia, New Zealand, France and the United States, provide support through aerial and surface surveillance.
