Pacific

Nafanua, Leilani and Emma are 14, 12 and 10-years-old respectively, and their dad Xavier Lui is teaching them the traditional skills of Pacific sea voyaging.

Emma says she likes seeing turtles, riding the bow of the va'a ("boat" in Samoan), and feeling connected to her culture.

"It uncovers the history and you can make your own history while you sail, go on that big boat and make your own," she says, gesturing to the Samoan Voyaging Society's double-hulled canoe, the Gaualofa.

International Maritime Organisation’s Head for Air Pollution and Energy, Edmund Hughes, says the most cost effective and energy efficient mode of mass cargo transport, shipping makes a vital contribution to international commerce and is a key pillar for the development of a sustainable global economy.

Hughes also stated that mandatory energy efficiency requirements for international shipping have been in force for nearly four years, leading to over 1900 ocean going ships being certified to the new requirements.

The PNA's chief executive, Ludwig Kumoru, said the fish aggregating devices, known as FADs, have become vastly more efficient with the addition of satellite technology.

Mr Kumoru said the PNA estimates about 50,000 FADs are being used in the Pacific, with each boat having dozens.

He said his group, which controls the world's largest sustainable purse seine fishery, will require fishing operators to register FADs that have satellite capability with the PNA in order to get a licence.

"We will be working with the manufacturers of those FADs," he said.

The move to strengthen tracking of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing vessels with another layer of information listing vessel masters, is hoping to gain traction amongst Tuna Commission members. 

 "At the moment we blacklist boats that have been caught illegally fishing, but as we all know, it is the people on board that are actually doing the wrong thing.  The Persons of Interest (POI) watch list will help detect vessel masters slipping through the current IUU vessel blacklist and going on to lead rogue fishing from another vessel", says FFA DG James Movick. 

Both Secretariats are committed to continue working together in partnership for the conservation of Pacific island wetlands and their ecosystems, which also have an important role in climate change and disaster risk reduction.

Coastal wetlands such as mangroves and coral reefs help to buffer the impacts of climate-related events such as storm surges and cyclones.

Inland wetlands also mitigate the impacts of natural disasters, both floods and droughts.

Cook Islands Associate Minister of Environment, Mr. Mona Ioane shared the actions undertaken by the island nation to mainstream biodiversity into the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

This was one of four theme different High Level Roundtable Discussions that took place. One of these themes is the integration of biodiversity into cultural and traditional planning of locally managed marine areas.
"Ra'ui is our way to protect the harvest of our fisheries through cyclic fishing bans in certain coastal areas at different times.

The Tuna commission, which is the governing body for the world's largest tuna fishery, is meeting this week in Nadi in Fiji.

Several South American countries have recently expressed interest in becoming members of the Commission, one of which is Ecuador.

The chief executive of the PNA, Ludwig Kumoru said one of the issues that PNA is strongly opposing to is having new members, who have minimal interest in the fishery, admitted to the commission.

Nelson Cawthron Institute research scientist Dr Xavier Pochon returned from a Pacific expedition on board the ship of late Sir Peter Blake.

He was on board the ship for 10 days in the Tuamotu Archipelago, east of Tahiti, researching crustose coralline algae and the effect of climate change on corals in the Pacific.

The research so far showed the Polynesians reefs, which were thought to have been spared from the effects of climate change, have suffered multiple deep disruption.

The Program is a joint initiative by Cricket Australia, Netball Australia and the International Cricket Council, funded through the Australian Government's Pacific Sports Partnerships Innovation Funding.

It brings together female leaders from across the sports sector from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tonga.

Twenty women representing 13 different sporting organisations will spend the week developing their leadership skills through sport, to directly impact on the lives of young women and girls in their communities.

RNZ reports the initiative, led by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE), is supported by six government agencies including the Ministry for the Environment and the State Services Commission.

Pacific graduates are provided summer internships where they receive exposure to public sector work, policy writing and networking opportunities.

MBIE's Chief Advisor Pasifika Matalena Leaupepe said the initiative was part of a move to get more Pasifika working in the public sector.