The Forum Fisheries Agency says nations want the regional tuna commission to fully recognise the impacts of climate change on Pacific fisheries.
Photo: 123RF
The FFA Director-General, Manu Tupou-Roosen, is in Port Moresby for the latest meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
She said members are calling for stronger action by the commission to recognise the impacts on fisheries, food security and livelihoods.
"Looking at ensuring that the commission actively consider those impacts when they deliberate, including in the development of conservation and management measures and again, looking at the carbon footprint, estimate what it is in any of the work related to the commission and provide options for how we offset and reduce that carbon footprint, " Dr Tupou-Roosen said.
Dr Tupou-Roosen said measures could include vessels assessing their use of the ozone depleting substances that are used in refrigeration.
She also wanted to see more investment in research and science: "So a specific call to our scientific provider that they look at reducing the uncertainties with the modelling, with the migration that they have said of our tuna resources from west to east.
"How we can refine that work so that we can tackle this challenge with more certainty."
Manumatavai Tupou-Roosen Photo: Lisa Williams/PMN
Dr Tupou-Roosen said there is a lot of work to be done but what is done in the next few years will be critical when it comes to the challenge of tackling climate change.