Pacific islands detain Chinese, Indonesian fishing boats

Pacific island authorities detained or took to port four Chinese and Indonesian vessels this month during a regional crackdown on illegal fishing and licence breaches, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency said.

The vessels were detained by authorities in Kiribati, Palau and Papua New Guinea, the agency said. Eleven island nations boarded more than 100 vessels across 28 million square kilometres of ocean between August 3 and 14.

The two-week Operation Island Chief involved aerial surveillance by an Australian military aircraft and patrols by a US Coast Guard vessel and Pacific maritime police. The FFA declined to give details of another 16 vessels it identified as being “of interest”.

Fisheries officials said half of the world's tuna is caught in the region, but only 15 percent is processed or handled by Pacific Island countries. The FFA said the fish generates $500 million in access fees and $1.2 billion in export earnings for Pacific islands each year and supports the livelihoods of a third of Pacific households.

An annual meeting of 18 Pacific Island leaders beginning August 30 in Palau is expected to discuss a new strategy to protect fishing rights and increase revenue as climate change threatens stocks.