From 4 to 8 March, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) will be hosting the 8th meeting of the Heads of Fisheries of its Pacific Island members. This meeting will allow the Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) to discuss issues relating to coastal and oceanic fisheries and aquaculture in the region and exercise oversight over SPC’s activities in these areas.
It will also provide an opportunity for in-depth examination of topics of particular interest to PICT fisheries departments. This year, special focus will be placed on sea cucumber fisheries as a regional report will be presented along with explanations of various management modes.
There will also be a planning meeting for the SciCOFish (Scientific Support for the Management of Coastal and Oceanic Fisheries in the Pacific Islands Region) project, which is funded by the European Union. As this large project, which covers both coastal and oceanic fisheries, is entering its final year of funding, arrangements must be made with the PICTs to ensure that a certain number of activities continue into the future, both regionally and locally.
Please find attached descriptions of the main topics to be discussed during the meeting. The whole set of documents can be found on SPC’s website at http://www.spc.int/fame/en/meetings/167-eighth-spc-heads-of-fisheries-meeting
Television journalists are invited to attend the meeting’s opening session from 8 to 10 a.m. on Monday, 4 March,
in the SPC Conference Room.
A meeting between participants and broadcasters and journalists will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 March
to discuss topics related to SPC activities in the fisheries sector and sea cucumber fisheries management.
In particular, the Heads of Fisheries for Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, French Polynesia (the meeting chair) and Vanuatu will be available at that time, along with consultants and an Institut de recherche pour le développement) IRD sea cucumber specialist.
Press Release