Pacific Tuna Commission

PacNews reports the adoption of a new tropical tuna Bridging Measure at three o'clock in the morning on the last day of the meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission was greeted with applause after days of gruelling negotiations.

It is being hailed as a success for Commission Chair Rhea Moss-Christian.

Other measures approved by the Commission include action to address plastic marine pollution and to boost the capacity of Pacific nations to step up the fight against illegal fishing with more vessel inspections in their ports.

The Tuna commission, which is the governing body for the world's largest tuna fishery, is meeting this week in Nadi in Fiji.

Several South American countries have recently expressed interest in becoming members of the Commission, one of which is Ecuador.

The chief executive of the PNA, Ludwig Kumoru said one of the issues that PNA is strongly opposing to is having new members, who have minimal interest in the fishery, admitted to the commission.