1. The FAO Regional Workshop on the Elaboration of National Plans of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing - Pacific Islands Subregion was held at the Mocambo Hotel, Nadi, Fiji, from 29 August to 2 September 2005.
2. The Workshop was attended by 15 participants1 from FAO Members and four observers. A list of participants and observers is attached in Appendix B.
3. The Workshop was called to order by Mr David Doulman, Senior Fishery Liaison Officer, FAO Fisheries Department, Rome, Italy and Technical Secretary of the Workshop. He introduced Dr Vili A. Fuavao, FAO Subregional Representative for the Pacific, Apia, Samoa and invited him to address the meeting.
4. Mr Fuavao extended a warm welcome to participants, noting that the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IPOA-IUU) had been concluded within the framework of the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Dr Fuavao referred to a number of international developments relating to the IPOA-IUU and the Code of Conduct, advising that at the Sixth Meeting of FAO South West Pacific Ministers for Agriculture in June 2005, Ministers had expressed concern about the growing incidence and problems of IUU fishing in the region. His statement to the Workshop is in Appendix D.
5. Mr Doulman requested participants, FAO Officers and consultants to introduce themselves to the Workshop. He then invited Mr Masanami Izumi, Fishery Officer, FAO Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands, Apia, Samoa and Workshop Coordinator, to explain administrative arrangements for the Workshop.
