PNA

PNA groundbreaking ceremony

PNA groundbreaking ceremony

Eight PNA countries plus Tokelau celebrated Wednesday night with a groundbreaking ceremony for a new four-story headquarters building, set to replace the old Won Hai Shien building on Uliga Dock on Majuro. Ministers from the member countries donned helmets and vests and shoveled dirt, commemorating the event. The event was held in the lead up […]

Minister Matt: ‘He got things done’

Minister Matt: ‘He got things done’

GIFF JOHNSON Mattlan Zackhras, a four-term member of Nitijela who was a key figure in successful grassroots community development on Namdrik Atoll and who the past two years has been outspoken globally on the need for climate action, died this week in Taipei. Zackhras, 47, who has represented Namdrik Atoll in Nitijela since January 2004, […]

Big bucks team meets in Majuro

Big bucks team meets in Majuro

Ministers from the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) launched their 12th annual meeting in Majuro Wednesday. President Hilda Heine recognized the organization for growing fisheries revenue of members nations from $60 million to nearly $500 million in seven years. She urged the fisheries leaders not to be complacent because of PNA’s success, but instead […]

Boat arrest surprises Koo’s

Boat arrest surprises Koo’s

A Koo’s fishing vessel was arrested late last month in Kiribati for a fishing violation that occurred in 2015 and is now being held until the Majuro-based company pays a $4 million fine — a development that surprised Koo’s, which said it settled the violation through the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA). “We made […]

Buyers love PNA’s Pacifical tuna

Buyers love PNA’s Pacifical tuna

The PNA’s Pacifical tuna label was praised by a major Australian food company for being the “only true sustainable” fishing model in the world. Over the last 15 months, Australian-based Simplot, a large agricultural and seafood supply company with annual sales over $5 billion, has sold 100 million cans of tuna with the Pacifical/Marine Stewardship […]

PNA: Unity, adding value to fishery

PNA: Unity, adding value to fishery

Adding value and maintaining cooperation that has led to great benefits from commercial tuna fishing for the Parties to the Nauru Agreement was the theme of Monday’s opening session. The five-day PNA annual officials meeting kicked off Monday at Marshall Islands Resort with Kiribati’s Principal Fisheries Officer Aketa Taanga handing over chairmanship of the PNA […]

Tuna team to tighten lines

Tuna team to tighten lines

Focusing on strengthening management of the multi-billion dollar central and western Pacific tuna fishery, and supporting innovative ways for islands to add value to the fishery are twin goals of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) this year. Among ongoing value-added projects being promoted by PNA that are expected to expand this year: • […]

Sustainable tuna tonnage to double

Sustainable tuna tonnage to double

Growing global market demand for MSC-certified tuna and fishing industry interest is expected to see “wild catch” tuna tonnage double from the waters of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement in 2017. The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) operate a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified free school caught skipjack and yellowfin tuna fishery in […]

UN vote confirms World Tuna Day

UN vote confirms World Tuna Day

The United Nations General Assembly voted last week to establish World Tuna Day as an internationally-recognized event. The event initiated by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) in 2011 has now gained international ratification for the annual celebration of tuna on May 2. The United Nations General Assembly voted without objection to ratify a […]