Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Members meeting in Wellington last week convened a dedicated session on Article 30 of the WCPFC Convention, as part of pre-meetings ahead of the 142nd Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) Officials Meeting from 11 – 15 May 2026.
Article 30 recognises the special requirements of developing States, particularly Small Island Developing States and Territories (SIDS), reflecting the structural realities of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). It requires the Commission to take these circumstances into account and ensure that conservation and management measures do not transfer disproportionate burden to SIDS.
The session was joined virtually by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Secretariat, including WCPFC Executive Director Ms Rhea Moss-Christian, and built on progress made at WCPFC22 in Manila in 2025, where the Commission agreed to undertake an independent review of Article 30 under an agreed Terms of Reference.
“Article 30 must be implemented in a practical and meaningful way that reflects the genuine challenges faced by Pacific SIDS,” said FFA Compliance Policy Advisor ‘Ana Taholo, who supported Members’ discussion on the issue.
“For FFA Members, the focus is to ensure that conservation and management measures fully recognise the unique realities and constraints faced by SIDS, and that these considerations are embedded from the outset in the design of measures through practical and effective implementation mechanisms.”
FFA Members noted that the review of the Commission’s implementation of Article 30 comes at a critical time and presents an important opportunity to strengthen how the provision is applied in practice. Discussions emphasised the need to ensure that disproportionate burden is addressed during the development and design of measures, rather than after measures have already been adopted and implementation obligations imposed on Members.
Members also highlighted the importance of linking Article 30 more directly with practical and sustainable funding support, as well as ensuring stronger and more consistent consideration of Article 30 throughout the development of WCPFC conservation and management measures.
As a next step, FFA Members and the Secretariat will continue to actively engage in the independent review process, both individually as Members and collectively through the FFA framework.
Article 30 mandates that the Commission recognises the special requirements of developing States, particularly Small Island Developing States and territories. In considering the special requirements of SIDS, the Commission must take into account the vulnerabilities of SIDS and that SIDS shall not be disproportionately burdened by conservation and management measures, and support their capacity to develop, manage and benefit from their tuna fisheries.
