Minister Bainivalu warns IUU fishing costs Fiji $50m a year, vows tougher surveillance and new powers to stop offenders
Fiji’s Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Alitia Bainivalu, has issued a blunt warning that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is draining FJD$50 million (US$25...
“No woman is safe until all women are safe” as Commonwealth warns of rising violence: SG Botchwey
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey has issued a stark message to governments and communities worldwide, declaring that violence against women remains “one of humanity’s oldest and...
WCPFC must confront ‘hard truths’ on transshipment, electronic monitoring and observer gaps, Cook warns
By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is heading into a decisive week in Manila in December, with...
WCPFC delay puts South Pacific albacore MSC label and island economies at risk: PEW
By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The US$1 billion South Pacific albacore industry is on the line as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission...
WCPFC enters 2026 facing deep-sea mining risks, new global ocean treaty, and rising pressure from major conferences
By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is heading into a critical year as deep-sea mining pressures intensify, a...
Fiji Military vows transparency and civilian supremacy in national reconciliation push
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has declared it will “not remain prisoners of its past,” unveiling its strongest commitment yet to transparency, accountability,...
WHO steps up support in Micronesia as Dr Piukala warns of rising health pressures and climate-driven emergencies
World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, says the Pacific’s mounting health pressures demand sustained support...
WCPFC warns Climate change and Pollution now direct threats to Pacific Tuna
By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is warning that climate change and marine pollution are emerging as direct...
Human rights ‘non-negotiable’ as Pacific Tuna body enters era of tougher rules: WCPFC
By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has declared that “human rights are non-negotiable” as it enters 2026 with...
WCPFC mourns FSM Foreign Secretary Lorin Robert, a driving force behind Pacific fisheries cooperation
By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has paid tribute to the late Foreign Secretary Lorin Robert, describing the...
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Pacific Leaders’ 2050 Plan gains ground but gaps remain, Forum report shows
Pacific Islands Forum members are making progress on a long-term regional plan, but challenges remain in turning commitments into results, according to a new...
Lopsided deal: Legal analysis raises concerns over Tonga’s deep-sea mining agreement
When Pacific leaders gather to discuss the future of deep-sea mining, the conversation often centres on economic opportunity. For Tonga, that promise has come...
China-U.S competition for rare earths sparks plan to mine Pacific seabed near Guam
A U.S plan to potentially mine an area of Pacific seabed roughly the size of Nevada near two U.S territories is the latest example...