President Simina Affirms Continued Support for WCPFC\’s Sustainable Fisheries Management Efforts

FSMPIO – PALIKIR, Pohnpei, January 16, 2024 (FSMIS) – H.E. President Wesley W. Simina received a courtesy call from the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), Executive Director Ms. Rhea-Moss Christian. In attendance at the courtesy call was Vice President Aren B Palik and Chief of Staff Jane Chigiyal along with WCPFC Finance and Administration Officer, Mr. Arron Nighswander.

The WCPFC is an international organization established by the Convention for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific. Its main purpose is to ensure the sustainable management and conservation of fish stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean. The WCPFC manages 54 percent of total tuna production and covers 20 percent of the Earth’s surface which provides over 5.6 billion USD of total tuna catch each year. There are 26 extinguished members of the WCPFC with 7 participating territories and 8 cooperating non-members. The FSM is proud to be the host country of the WCPFC which is located in Kolonia, Pohnpei. Discussion during the call focused on the work of the WCPFC through its 4 subsidiary bodies which are the Scientific Committee (SC), the Technical Compliance Committee (TCC), the Northern Committee (NC), the Finance & Administration Committee, and the upcoming meetings for these different subsidiaries, mainly the annual TCC meeting which will be held in the FSM in December. Executive Director Rhea-Moss Christian highlighted that the annual meeting brings in more than 400 participants which will provide economic benefits for the FSM and that prior annual TCC meetings have brought in more than 200,000 USD. President Simina underscored the importance of the management of migratory fisheries as the ocean and its biodiversity remains the FSM’s biggest asset and further welcomes more meetings by the WCPFC to be held in the FSM. The meeting concluded with President Simina reassuring Executive Director Christian of the FSM’s full support of the WCPFC and its important work in the Pacific region and in the FSM.###