Offshore Fisheries Policy.

The Offshore Fisheries Policy is a national policy with a sectoral approach. The purpose of this Policy is to ensure sustainable management and use of offshore fisheries resources through sector development and management. The key principles of this Policy are: (I) sustainable resource management through sound biological principles, (II) optimal utilization of fishery resources through sound economic principles, (III) food security by minimizing the interaction with coastal fisheries, whilst meeting the local market and public nutrition requirements.
Food security will be improved through a consistent and affordable supply of quality fish for public consumption. Moreover, the benefits of fish protein will be promoted as a healthy alternative to imported meat and processed products.
Effective monitoring control and surveillance systems will be developed to monitor the compliance of fishing vessels and processing operations, including information management systems, vessel monitoring systems, and monitoring of observers, inspections and logbooks. To this end, institutional capacity building will be enhanced to strengthen information management system, catch documentation scheme and traceability. Licensing management systems will be improved for continuous monitoring and evaluation and the implementation of best practices will be encouraged. The development, implementation and monitoring of existing and new fishery management plans will be strengthened within scientific basis. In addition to that, fisheries and associated activities will be managed in accordance with plan requirements. International and regional fisheries obligations will be met to deter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, as well as to deter harmful interactions with particular species, such as by catch. Flag and port state obligations will be fulfilled in compliance with all relevant international instruments through domestic legislation. Systems will be developed for the management of Cook Islands registered vessels to meet international regulation standards and compliance with IUU Regulation. Food safety competent authority will be established to ensure that seafood exports meet public health requirements and market accreditation. The technical and regulatory support will be provided for oceanic marine reserve processes. Offshore fisheries investment capacity will be established in Ministry of Marine Resources to enable government to promote joint venture arrangements in order to derive greater benefit to Cook Islanders and to protect national interests. The initiatives for landing catches, onshore processing and providing services in selected locations will be supported by the Ministry of Marine Resources. Fishing vessels will be encouraged to offload fifty per cent of their catches into Rarotonga, and a levy will be imposed for catches that are not offloaded into Cook Islands ports or designated ports. The interactions between offshore fisheries, artisanal and sports fishing will be minimized through demarcated exclusion areas. Access rights, including in the high seas areas, will be ensured for fishers and resource allocations will be based on zone and flag. A fishery management plan will be developed and implemented by the Ministry of Marine Resources appropriate to the potential of the purse seine fishery. In order to monitor the catches of the fishing vessels, licensed vessels targeting bigeye tuna fish and swordfish and licensed vessels fishing in high seas will be monitored and their catches will be registered. Moreover, sustainable management regimes for high seas fisheries will be developed, most particularly in high seas fisheries waters adjacent to the Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone, with a focus on the northern semi-enclosed area and the eastern high seas. The membership of regional fisheries bodies will be sustained to protect Cook Islands' strategic interests both in the domestic fishery and in high seas fisheries.