Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (HQ)

The Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is a regional fisheries advisory body established in 1979 by the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency Convention to help members to manage, conserve and use highly migratory tuna resources in their EEZs and beyond, through enhancement of national capacity and strengthening of regional solidarity. FFA provides advice for between one and ten fisheries. FFA has also established a system for data collection and data sharing. A regional VMS was established too in 1999.

FFA is an intergovernmental regional agency established to facilitate regional cooperation and coordination on fisheries policies between its member states in order to achieve conservation and optimum utilisation of living marine resources for the benefit of the people of the region.

Area of competence
The FFA is an advisory body, providing support to its members for the conservation and management of living marine resources, in particular highly migratory species, within EEZs and the region.

Mandate
Objective: work in the effective cooperation among all coastal States in the region and all States involved in the harvesting of such resources for the conservation and optimum utilization of the highly migratory species of the region.

Functions: According to the FFA Convention (article VII), the Agency shall:

(a) collect, analyse, evaluate and disseminate to Parties relevant statistical and biological information with respect to the living marine resources of the region and in particular the highly migratory species;
(b) collect and disseminate to Parties relevant information concerning management procedures, legislation and agreements adopted by other countries both within and beyond the region;
(c) collect and disseminate to Parties relevant information on prices, shipping, processing and marketing of fish and fish products;
(d) provide, on request, to any Party technical advice and information, assistance in the development of fisheries policies and negotiations, and assistance in the issue of licences, the collection of fees or in matters pertaining to surveillance and enforcement;
(e) seek to establish working arrangements with relevant regional and international organisations, particularly the South Pacific Commission; and
(f) undertake such other functions as the Committee may decide.

Vision: Our people enjoying the greatest possible social and economic benefits from the sustainable use of offshore fisheries resources.

Mission: Empowering FFA Members to take collective and national action for the sustainable use of offshore fisheries resources.