Advancing fisheries transparency in the South Pacific
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance fisheries transparency in the South Pacific, fishing authorities from Chile, Ecuador, and Peru participated in a high-level discussion during an event held alongside the SPRFMO Commission Meeting. Co-organized by the government of Chile, Global Fishing Watch, and the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), the event provided a valuable opportunity for fisheries authorities to exchange perspectives on transparency and explore ways to improve access to fisheries information.
High-Level Participation
In recent years, marine catches from Chile, Ecuador and Peru have surpassed 9 million tons and over $20 billion USD in seafood exports from, which collectively represent over 10% of global marine fishery production and seafood trade, according to the FAO’s statistics. Given the scale and importance of their fisheries sectors, strengthening transparency is a key element in ensuring responsible and sustainable management. In that sense, the high-level event featured the participation of top fisheries authorities from the three countries:
- Julio Salas, Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Chile
- Ivanova Cereceda, Vice Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries of Ecuador
- Jesús Barrientos, Vice Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Peru
Additionally, representatives from the co-organizing organizations contributed to the discussions:
- Mónica Espinoza, Head of Latin America for Global Fishing Watch (GFW)
- Nicolás Rovegno, Regional Coordinator for Latin America of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI)
The event was moderated by Rocío Parra, Head of the Legal Division of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Chile, and newly elected member of the FiTI International Board.
A Shared Focus on Transparency
Bringing together the main fisheries authorities from these three countries marked a significant moment in regional discussions on transparency. Throughout the event, panelists emphasized the importance of transparency as a fundamental component of effective fisheries governance, recognizing its role in strengthening decision-making processes and fostering greater stakeholder trust.
One of the key insights from the discussion was the shared understanding of the need for a coherent and structured approach to fisheries transparency. Participants underscored the importance of ensuring that fisheries-related data is both accessible and meaningful to support responsible management.
Enhancing Regional Cooperation on Transparency
The event provided an opportunity for Chile, Ecuador, and Peru to present their respective efforts and experiences in promoting transparency in fisheries management. Discussions also examined how international efforts such as FiTI and Global Fishing Watch can support these efforts by providing structured frameworks and tools to enhance access to information.
Through this exchange of perspectives, the three countries reaffirmed their interest in exploring collaborative approaches to transparency, in alignment with their national priorities and regional cooperation efforts.
Looking Ahead
The event highlighted the increasing engagement in transparency efforts across the region and provided valuable insights into opportunities for future collaboration. Moving forward, continued dialogue and cooperation will play a central role in further strengthening transparency in fisheries governance in the South Pacific and beyond.
