These workshops held in the Western Pacific Ocean, in Phonpei and Port Moresby the 23th and 28th of January 2019, are part of the research that International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is coordinating with support provided by the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project to move towards the use of biodegradable FADs. The initiative addresses some of the challenges facing the fishing sector by implementing best practice solutions to reduce the amount of plastic used to construct FAD´s structures, with the aim to contribute to achieving responsible, efficient and sustainable fisheries and biodiversity conservation.

The document summarizes results obtained during the noted Round 8.15 workshop.

This study is part of a pilot project coordinated by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation(ISSF), with support provided by the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project , to test the use of biodegradable and non-entangling Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in collaboration with Ghanaian fleets. The initiative addresses some of the challenges facing the fishing sector by implementing best practice solutions to reduce both ghost-fishing due to entanglement in FAD structure, and the amount of plastic used to construct FAD´s structures, with the aim to contribute to achieving responsible, efficient and sustainable fisheries and biodiversity conservation. The present document shows the activities conducted within the project from September 2018 to November 2018.

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing is a serious threat to sustainable fisheries, marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of legitimate fishers globally. To address this threat, the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project is exploring new ways to strengthen and harmonize the use of monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) tools, and combat IUU fishing in tuna fisheries across the marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). One of the MCS tools that the Project has explored extensively, is the use of Electronic Monitoring Systems (EMS) to monitor individual vessel operations at sea. To test the best way to incorporate this new monitoring technology to the MCS toolbox available, two pilot activities were set up in Fiji and Ghana were EMS equipment was deployed aboard tuna fishing vessels. In summary, results and experiences have demonstrated that the transfer of new technologies can be done effectively when there is consideration of the context in which the new technology will be deployed. This includes the strengthening of the national institutions involved, establishing key partnerships, developing the required legal frameworks, and building the human resources necessary for the effective operation of the new technology. 

The Government of Ghana, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) have formed a partnership under the Common Oceans Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) Tuna Project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by FAO to pilot Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) technologies in Ghana.  The objective of this study is to support a business case for EMS in the Ghanaian fleet, including options for financin a permanent implementation of the system.