by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
During the recent Pacific Water Conference and Expo held in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand’s Ambassador For Pacific Economic Development, Shane Jones, called on the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) to respect the Pacific leaders wishes regarding the future of fisheries management in the region.
The call made by Ambassador Jones comes after sarcastic criticism from those within the regional tuna management association on the decision that was made by the Pacific Island Forum leaders to look into the merits of replacing PNA’s Vessel Day Scheme with a New Zealand led-quota system.
“I think the first thing that we need to acknowledge is that the leaders of the forum have endorsed a body of work to take place to see if the VDS Vessel Day Scheme can be improved”, said Jones.
The decision has raised criticism from leaders but despite this; Prime Minster of New Zealand, John Key, along with other leaders of the Pacific, endorsed a body of work to take place.
Jones has called for 12 months of work to look into the future of tuna fisheries management in the region.
