Joint patrol operation
Authorities tighten security over Fiji waters
THE Republic of Fiji Navy forward-based personnel in the Western and Northern divisions have been engaged in a joint inshore operation to strengthen collaboration in the maritime law enforcement area in Fiji waters.
This operation is in partnership with the Fiji Police Force (FPF), Ministry of Fisheries, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF), and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS)
According to the navy’s social media page, the joint inshore operations focused on clamping down on illegal, unreported and unrelated (IUU) fishing, boat safety compliance, dockside and at-sea boarding of fishing vessels and yachts, and community outreach to raise awareness on maritime safety and security issues.
“The joint operations reflect the joint coordination efforts between maritime law enforcement agencies to strengthen a collaborative approach to detecting, deterring, and responding to evolving maritime security threats.
This includes exploitation of marine resources, drug trafficking, illegal activity in marine protected areas,” Fiji navy highlighted.
In other naval updates, the first rotation deployment of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-27J Spartan under the Defence Pacific Air Program (DPAP) provided a unique opportunity over two weeks to integrate and train on aviation capability.
This was facilitated through the Ministry of Home Affairs, RAAF, Republic of Fiji Military Forces Joint Task Force Command, and the Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue Coordination Centre (FMSRCC).
The RFN said the first detachment focused on strengthening existing maritime domain awareness systems, conducting maritime air patrol aerial observer familiarisation, rendezvous and communication trials with RFNS Savenaca on patrol.
The training also included a search and rescue airdrop of a compact rescue system (CRS) and a logistics resupply mission for forward-based naval personnel in Vanua Levu.