Posted on November, 25 2014

Tuna fisheries management and other natural resource conservation initiatives will benefit from a partnership between the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organizations and WWF-Pacific.

Signing a Memorandum of Understanding to work more collaboratively, the heads of both organizations commit to strengthen the delivery and outcomes of relevant work programmes through joint actions/activities.
 
Both have built strong foundations of engagements in the Pacific region that they can jointly utilize to increase knowledge and understanding of issues such as the management of the Pacific islands region’s valuable tuna resources.
 
WWF-Pacific is optimistic about strengthening the capacity of selected regional NGO’s in engaging on important regional conservation issues like Tuna Fisheries Management.

 “It is crucial that we work with PIANGO because of the influence it wields as the umbrella body of a regional network of non-government organizations in 22 countries across the Pacific region,” said WWF-Pacific Representative Kesaia Tabunakawai.

 “Tuna is a multi-billion dollar resource, that the wider Pacific island communities are not actively engaged in, in its management, and we want to build capacity and knowledge of social societies/community groups through programmes over the next few years to ensure decisions taken concerning this resource are those that are in the best interests of the people of the Pacific.

 “A way to do that is to ensure that more NGO’s are providing valuable civil society feedback preferably from communities and the constituencies they represent.”

 The alliance contributes to key regional approaches and shared goals of sustainable development by the Melanesia Spearhead Group and the Green Growth Framework initiative of the Pacific Islands Development Forum.

 For PIANGO, the opportunity to collaborate and further build its footprint in a more comprehensive function with WWF in the environmental aspect (with particular emphasis at this stage on fisheries and Tuna), the knowledge and capacity development on the issue in the region will certainly be appreciated by the communities. At the end of the day, the efforts are aimed at safeguarding the livelihoods of the people of the Pacific.

 
“PIANGO at level best has always aimed to articulate the risks on mismanagement of our natural resources and this MOU will in many ways assist PIANGO in strengthening the communities with the partnership and assistance from WWF to be knowledgeable and making informed decisions for themselves,” said Executive Director Emele Duituturaga.

 The MOU is for five years.