5 Aug 2010

Tonga's PM says further steps needed to protect regional fish stocks

6:10 am on 5 August 2010

The Prime Minister of Tonga has spoken of the critical need for Pacific island countries to take further steps to protect regional fish stocks.

Dr Feleti Sevele and other leaders at the 41st Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit in Port Vila have received a presentation from the Forum Fisheries Agency on the state of regional fisheries.

He says the Agency's paper, co-authored by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, has clearly spelt out the regional threat from illegal and unregulated fishing.

"The fisheries situation in the Pacific and the need to conserve and the need for us to get into agreements that will protect our resources from being overfished and also from poaching from other nations."

The Prime Minister of Tonga, Dr Feleti Sevele.