The Pacific Island Parties (PIPs) and the United States met Tuesday for the 2026 Consultation under the 1987 Treaty on Fisheries, reaffirming their commitment to one of the longest-standing and most successful fisheries partnerships in the Pacific.
The Consultation marked the first formal meeting since the successful conclusion of Treaty renegotiations in 2024 and provided an opportunity for both sides to focus on implementation and the future of the partnership.
FFA Director-General and Treaty Administrator, Noan David Pakop, highlighted the significance of the milestone year, noting that the Treaty has now been in force for 38 years.
“Over nearly four decades, the Treaty has stood as one of the most enduring and successful partnerships between the Pacific Island States and the United States of America,” Pakop said.
“It has delivered substantial economic benefits to Pacific Island countries while at the same time providing a framework for cooperation, mutual understanding and trust between the Parties.”
Pakop said the longevity of the Treaty reflected the commitment of successive generations of leaders to maintain and strengthen the relationship.
“Thirty-eight years of partnership is no small achievement. It speaks to the resilience of this relationship and to the shared commitment of successive generations of leaders to maintain and strengthen it. This is something of which all Parties can rightly be proud.”
He noted that the completion of the recent renegotiation process provided an opportunity for both sides to shift their focus from negotiations to implementation and to consider how the partnership can continue to evolve in the years ahead.
Discussions covered a range of matters of mutual interest, including discussion on timing for the 2026 payment, ongoing cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the future direction of the partnership, and opportunities to strengthen fisheries management.
The U.S delegation was led by Dr Ruth Perry, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ocean, Fisheries and Polar Affairs in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. PIPs is led by Forum Fisheries Committee TROIKA (Niue, New Zealand and Palau).
