Boost to fisheries sector
THE new Electronic Vessel Register and Electronic Port State Measures (e-PSM) systems will strengthen Fiji’s ability to implement management and operational tools geared to streamline processes that exists within the context of addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU).
The systems were launched by the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) in the Solomon Islands at the 27th Annual Monitoring Control Surveillance Working Group meeting.
Josaia Maiwai, the fisheries officer with the Ministry of Fisheries’ Offshore Management Division, said the systems would also allow Fiji to electronically store operational data that could be easily accessed and provided to decision makers when needed.
“It also provides a digital platform to receive vessel arrival and departures notification from vessel operators and agents, which would in turn allow us to coordinate work around conducting needed mandatory inspections, clearance and approval for vessels to utilise the use of Fiji ports,” Mr Maiwai told The Fiji Times from Honiara yesterday.
He said Fiji was in its initial stage of piloting the system.
“We believe by having this system, it would greatly assist in standardising our risk analysis and improve our documentation system of vessels entry into port and departure.”
Mr Maiwai said the systems would assist FFA members and PSMA parties with a digital platform to boost the implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA).
He said since the development of those systems were expensive, the assistance rendered to Fiji addressed the present limitations “and allows us to keep progressing with implementation of mandatory requirements”.
Fiji had completed its national training on the e-PSMA system last month and extended to vessel owners and agents.
He said Fiji had received national credentials and access to start using the system.
“After the pilot phase, through the assistance of FFA and funding by the New Zealand government, a tailored national system derived from the current regional system will be developed specifically for Fiji that will reflect the dynamics of Fiji’s port state measures operations.”