Assisting coastal and island states to expand marine research capabilities

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends providing technical cooperation in developing the capacity of coastal and island states for marine research and systematic observation and for using its results.

The South Pacific Commission's (SPC) Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) collects and analyzes fishery data, and conducts scientific research on behalf of member countries. The Fisheries Statistics Section and the Tuna Research Section provide scientific advice on the status of tuna stocks in the western Pacific tuna fishery. Steady monitoring of catches and a large-scale tagging project have demonstrated the healthy condition of stocks of most species, assisting the development of an appropriate management regime. Some research activities of the SPC Tuna Research Section include: the conclusion of a three-year field research programme on South-Pacific albacore, and a stock assessment based on the data collected; the presentation of a National Fisheries Assessment (NFA) to the government and industry officials from the Solomon Islands; developing indices of yellowfin abundance; assessment and modelling of the western Pacific yellowfin stock.