Ministry of Fisheries - Tonga

Vuna Road, Sopu
Tongatapu, Tonga

+6767401201
info@tongafish.gov.to

Fisheries Management NPOA Shark and Tuna Plan Review Workshop 5th – 9th September 2022.

Fisheries Management NPOA Shark and Tuna Plan Review Workshop
5th – 9th September 2022.
The Ministry of Fisheries conducted a five-day workshop on the 5th – 9th of September 2022 with technical supports from staff of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). Dr. Tuikolongahau Halafihi, CEO for Fisheries delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of this work and welcoming Ms Adele Dutilloy, Lianos Triantafillos and Kaasipo Teo from FFA, and Steve Hare from SPC. Assistance from FFA and SPC are much appreciated.
The purpose of this workshop was to review the NPOA (National Plan of Action for Sharks) Shark plan and finalize the revised Tuna plan where advisors from FFA & SPC conducted sessions on the context of these two plans.
The objectives of this workshop were as follows;
• To set objectives, understand the current status of the plans and to identify areas of improvement.
• Review science and technical sections, set objectives, identify implementation actions for achieving science and technical objectives.
• Review management and operational sections, set objectives, identify implementation actions for achieving management and operational objectives.
• Draft review plan (NPOA Shark) and finalized revised Tuna plan based on the discussions and decisions.
The outcome of the workshop was both Fisheries Management Plans were finalized and will soon be submitted for endorsement.
Issued by Ministry of Fisheries - Tonga
Read more: Fisheries Management NPOA Shark and Tuna Plan Review Workshop 5th – 9th September 2022.

Socio-Economic Assessment on Special Management Areas (SMA), Land-locked Sites and Enumerator Training

IMG 9328

The Fisheries Science Division held a one-week training on Socioeconomic assessment on Special Management Areas (SMA) & Land-locked sites and Enumerator training which was held on the 22nd -26th of February 2021. Socioeconomic assessment is one of the main activities of the Ministry’s Inshore Resource Assessment Section. This assessment was designed as one of the mechanisms to assess the status and well being of SMAs. This training was led by Dr. Tuíkolongahau Halafihi, CEO for Fisheries.

Over the years, the number of SMAs has rapidly been increasing and this assessment helps to understand the type and extend of impacts (positive/benefit and negative/cost) that the SMA management has on people.

The main purpose of this training was to;

  • Train staff and enumerators the right way of how to do the socio-economic assessment survey
  • Teach them how to input data online using the rugged tablets
  • Assist the Ministry to have and informed resource management, conversation strategies and activities that support human well-being, ecologically and socially sustainable development at the very minimum without cause no harm or make reasonable trade off.

This survey will start here in Tongatapu and will continue on to Vavaú, Haápai and Éua.

Attended in this training were Fisheries staff from the Science Division, Vavaú, Haápai , Éua also Ms. Karen Stone and few staff from Vavaú Environmental Protection Association (VEPA).