Management Plan on Tuna Fisheries for the Federated States of Micronesia 2015.

This Management Plan on Tuna Fisheries is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The purpose of this Management Plan is to ensure effective and sustainable conservation, management, exploitation and development of tuna fisheries through effective monitoring and control in the Micronesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The objectives of this Management Plan are (i) sustainable exploitation of tuna resources; (ii) maximum and sustainable economic benefits from tuna resources; and (iii) maximum economic security through exploitation of tuna resources.
Food security will be ensured by maximizing benefits of non-target and by-catch species in the purse seine fishery.
The management of fisheries in the EEZ and in the territorial seas will be strengthened with precautionary and ecosystem-based principles. Marine environment will be protected both in port and at sea through regulation of ballast and related discharges from fishing and support vessels and onshore facilities as well as minimization of any adverse environmental effects of the fishing methods and gears. By-catch mitigation measures will be taken to ensure biodiversity conservation. To this end, the compliance with by-catch specific requirements under WCPFC measures on sharks, sea turtles and seabirds will be ensured. The effective management, conservation and sustainability of fish stocks will be ensured.
Employment generating opportunities relative to tuna fisheries will be increased. Equitable flow of benefits to general communities will be ensured through direct financial support of community projects.
This Plan focuses on all fishing activities in Micronesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and by Micronesian flag vessels fishing in the high seas and other Exclusive Economic Zones. This includes longline, purse seine and pole-and-line fisheries. Monitoring, control and surveillance will be strengthened and enforcement measures will be taken, in order to support domestic development and deter Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated activities in Micronesia’s fisheries waters. The enforcement of management policy and implementation system of penalties will be strengthened to deter non-compliance. Awareness will be raised through information dissemination including fisheries regulations and requirements to the fishing industry and vessel operators. Economic development will be promoted by supporting the development of Micronesia-based or Micronesia-owned fishing enterprises and increasing domestic participation. The foreign and domestic investment will be encouraged for economic activity supporting fishing in Micronesia. The procedures of fishing license and permits will be strengthened. The licensing fees will be transfered to the funds. Endowment fund will be promoted to support coastal fisheries initiatives and small-scale local fishers. The generation of national revenue will be promoted through establishment and preservation of beneficial bilateral relations through fisheries access agreements. Equitable distribution of funds from tuna resources activities will be allocated to government institutions for fisheries related projects. The negative impacts of foreign fleets on the domestic fishing industry will be minimized. The basic onshore fisheries infrastructures will be improved to provide support for domestic tuna fisheries operators and companies.
This Plan will be reviewed at least every two years, if necessary, to factor in priority policy changes on tuna fisheries in consideration of new information and decisions taken by the Board of Directors, including decisions emerging from sub-regional, regional and international management agreements. This Plan will be supported by an integrated planning and reporting process incorporating a Corporate Plan, an Annual Operational/ Work Plan, strategic and business plan, a budget and the National Oceanic Resources Management Authority’s Annual Report.