Pacific Tuna Forum 2025: Openness & accountability key to sustainable tuna

Fiji Papua New Guinea

Pacific Tuna Forum 2025: Openness & accountability key to sustainable tuna

By Leba Dranivesi

The 9th Pacific Tuna Forum (PTF) convened under the theme “Pacific Tuna 2050: Resilience, Innovation, Equity and Sustainable Trade for a Prosperous Future”, bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders and participants. Together, attendees explored key issues shaping the tuna fisheries of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) region and the broader Blue Pacific Continent.

FiTI Pacific Regional Coordinator Leba Dranivesi participated in the Forum, which served as an excellent opportunity to engage with officials from regulatory authorities, industry partners from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG), representatives from NGOs as well as development partners committed to advancing sustainability in the region’s fisheries sector.

As one of the region’s most culturally and economically significant fisheries, tuna remains central to discussions on sustainability, regional cooperation, and the future prosperity of Pacific communities. Presentations and panel discussions at the Forum covered a wide range of interrelated topics, including value retention, equity, scalability, resilience, innovation, inclusive participation, better tuna fisheries management, industry reporting and standards, addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, climate change adaptation, sustainable supply chains, markets and trade, industry transformation and future-proofing the sector.

Although no session focused explicitly on fisheries transparency, the underlying principles of openness and accountability were evident throughout the forum. In fact, many of the topics discussed directly relate to elements of the FiTI Standard, which encourages countries to make key fisheries information publicly available:

  1. Stock Assessment and Modelling by the Pacific Community (SPC) – relates to the State of the Fisheries Resources component of the FiTI Standard.
  2. Global and Regional Tuna Trade and Market Access by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – aligns with Post-Harvest Sector and Fish Trade.
  3. Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Port State Measures (PSM) by an Independent Fisheries Advisor – connects to Fisheries Law Enforcement.
  4. Inclusive and Equitable Fisheries Development by the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) – touches on Labour Standards and social responsibility.
  5. WTO Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations by the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Ambassador to the WTO – corresponds to Fisheries Subsidies.

Several other presenters also spoke to certain aspects of the FiTI Standard. The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability presented a global standard for seafood traceability. Although the FiTI Standard does not focus on seafood traceability or on the supply chain, the Global Dialogue’s efforts to digitize seafood information and data align closely with the principles inherent to the FiTI.

These examples highlight how many Pacific Island countries are already addressing key areas of covered by the FiTI Standard, demonstrating strong progress toward transparency and accountability.

Ms Dranivesi also briefly engaged with Fiji’s Minister for Fisheries, Hon. Alitia Bainivalu, in the margins of the Forum. The FiTI is currently in talks with Fiji and other Pacific Island nations to partner in spearheading fisheries transparency for sustainable fisheries management.

As the Pacific continues to lead the world in sustainable tuna management, there is a valuable opportunity to complement these achievements with greater transparency. By joining the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), the only globally recognised standard for fisheries transparency, Pacific Island countries can demonstrate their leadership by making fisheries information publicly accessible and strengthening governance systems.

Participation in the FiTI not only enhances credibility and trust among stakeholders but also reinforces regional collaboration and accountability. Countries that embrace transparency through the FiTI are signalling to the world that they are committed to sustainable fisheries management and to empowering their people through open, inclusive, and responsible fisheries governance.