In general, the Pacific Islands increase in size from east to west. Most islands rise steeply from the deep ocean floor and have very little underwater shelf area. Coral reefs characteristically surround the islands, either close to the shore (fringing reef) or further offshore (barrier reef), in which case a coastal lagoon is enclosed. The area includes many atolls, which are the remnant barrier reefs of islands that have subsided. Some of the more recent islands in the area lack coral reefs. Mangrove forests often border the inshore waters, especially of the larger islands, and provide habitat for the juveniles of many important food fish.

Because of the relatively small size of most islands, major bodies of fresh water are not widespread in the sub-region, with substantial rivers and lakes only being found in some of the larger islands of Melanesia. The small land areas of most islands create limited freshwater and nutrient runoff, resulting in low enrichment of the nearby sea. The ocean waters of the area are usually clear and low in productivity. Upwellings occur in the boundaries between currents and in other localized areas, and have important implications for the harvesting of marine resources.

The dispersed nature of the region’s land among this vast area of water has several consequences for fisheries management. In regard to inshore resources, the presence of numerous patches of land and their associated coastal and coral reef areas, separated by large distances and sometimes abyssal depths, means that many species with limited larval dispersal can be effectively managed as unit stocks. On the other hand, management of shared stocks of highly migratory species such as tunas can only be effective if carried out on a multi-country basis. The presence of extensive areas of international waters (high seas) among the region’s EEZs greatly complicates the region’s fishery management efforts.

Fishery Statistics in the Region

The long time series of FAO catch statistics used in the compilation of the Catch Profiles for other regions are aggregated by FAO Statistical Area and thus cannot be used where the region to be reviewed incorporates parts of one or more areas, as is the case with the Pacific Islands. In addition, much of the region’s tuna catch is taken by distant-water fishing nations (DWFNs) and is thus reported by FAO in the catches of other statistical areas.