As I walk to my current assignment here in the Federated States of Micronesia each day to work with the team at NORMA (National Oceanic Resource Management Authority) on strengthening their PSM, I see the imposing headquarters of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) across Spanish Wall Park.
the top crew behind the scenes of the biggest fishery in the world.
While it feels as if it has always been there, I realise that I had been working in this fishery for over a decade before it came into force.
The WCPFC was established under the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, adopted in Honolulu in 2000 and came into force only in 2004.
Like most contemporary RFMOs, the establishment of the WCPFC was driven by the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement and the necessity for a regional mechanism to oversee highly migratory fish stocks—particularly tunas—across the world’s largest and most productive ocean area.
The Commission brings together Pacific Island countries, distant-water fishing nations, and territories within a collaborative governance framework aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of these resources and the marine ecosystems they rely on.
The WCPFC’s primary role is to conserve and manage highly migratory species such as tunas, billfish, and sharks within the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. It accomplishes this by developing and adopting Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) based on the best available scientific advice, which are then incorporated into national legislation by its members. These measures cover a wide range of topics, including catch limits, bycatch mitigation requirements, observer programmes, vessel monitoring systems, compliance frameworks, labour standards, bycatch reduction, transhipments, the welfare of sharks and rays, just to name a few.
The Commission also coordinates scientific research and data collection to inform policy decisions and maintain ecosystem-based management principles.
Despite its vital role, the WCPFC (like most other RFMOs) faces limitations that hinder its effectiveness. One key challenge is its consensus-based decision-making process; although it is perhaps the only RFMO to include a voting option in its convention, this has never been utilised.
While consensus aims to promote broad participation and fairness, it often results in lengthy negotiations and compromises that weaken conservation measures. Consequently, strong measures are diluted to accommodate members with competing economic and political interests.
Enforcement poses a significant challenge. The WCPFC lacks direct policing powers at sea. Instead, it depends on member states to implement and enforce the measures adopted by the Commission within their jurisdictions and on their flagged vessels. This reliance introduces compliance risks, as national capacity for implementation and enforcement varies greatly.
While tools like the Regional Observer Programme, Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), and the compliance monitoring scheme enhance oversight, these mechanisms rely on prompt reporting and good faith cooperation by members.
Furthermore, the WCPFC Secretariat operates with limited human and financial resources compared to the size of its mandate. The Secretariat is tasked with servicing Commission meetings, supporting scientific and compliance activities, maintaining extensive data systems, and coordinating among 26 members and participating territories. These resource limitations impair its ability to monitor compliance fully, analyse large datasets, and support innovative management initiatives.
However, these institutional limitations are somewhat offset by the quality and “mana” of their staff. I am incredibly honoured and proud to have known acquaintances and friends for many years who work there. Starting from the top, ED Rhea Moss-Christian whom I am honoured to count as a supporter of my work and a reference ever since we met over a decade ago, when she was working with NORMA, and later with nuclear issues in RMI, and I already felt her influence and stewardship from the moment I entered the building last week to say hello. At the same level of admiration and esteem is the long-term compliance manager, Lara Manarangi-Trott; her calmness even in the most heated moments and razor-sharp intellect have been staples at every meeting I have attended. Then there is Eidre Sharp, the Assistant Compliance Manager, who has decades of experience in all aspects of compliance and business management with fisheries in NZ.
And now my friend Hilary Ayrton is the new Fisheries Management and Compliance Advisor, whom I have known for over a decade since her work at NZ MPI. She is like a work-related niece to me; she is brilliant and a great asset for the WCPFC, especially given her experience in the BBNJ Treaty and Strengthening Global Ocean Governance. She and her top bloke partner, John, are mad keen ocean people, and nothing stops them from heading out on the boat and catching some fish for dinner (which I love). They have also welcomed me as a guest in their home, and it feels like being with family… I’ll be eternally grateful for their hospitality.
So, when she asked me if I would be keen to give an informal presentation to the compliance staff on the PSM work I’ve been doing in the region, as well as how it interacts with fusion platforms like Starboard and other Marine Domain Awareness tools, and how it helps to understand the realities of transhipment in the high seas, I was delighted and honoured to accept.
It was terrific, and I enjoyed every moment of it… It now feels like I have even more friends there.
In summary, the WCPFC plays not only an essential role in the conservation and management of tuna and other highly migratory species in the region but also in my life… Most of my consultancy work is in this part of the world, guided by decisions made under its umbrella.
So I’m always game for whatever is needed to strengthen the Commission’s authority, enhance compliance mechanisms, and increase their resources, as it is vital for the long-term sustainability of the tuna fishery, its people, and the benefits it provides to this part of the world, which has hosted me for over half my life and is my home thanks to my friends’ blessings.