4 Dec 2014

New Pacific tuna boss says time too tight

4:10 pm on 4 December 2014

The newly elected head of the Pacific Tuna Commission, Feleti Teo, says one week is too short to reach a consensus on the management of tuna in the region.

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Photo: RNZ / Philippa Tolley

Mr Teo was commenting as Central and Western Pacific Fisheries Commission negotiations in Samoa between distant water fishing nations and Pacific Island resource owners threaten to end on a stalemate.

Mr Teo says when he officially takes up his new role he will seek more preliminary dialogue between all parties in the lead-up to the Commission's annual meetings so as to avoid cramming issues into just one week.

"As the new head of this commission, it is in everybody's interest that this fisheries has to be in reasonably good health. So we need to work together cooperatively and collaboratively, otherwise we run the risk of following the experiences of other regions."

The newly elected executive director of the Tuna Commission, Feleti Teo