Tonga Marine Aquarium Fishery Management and Development Plan 2017-2019.

Tonga Marine Aquarium Fishery Management and Development Plan 2017-2019 is a sectoral national plan with the purpose to establish an effective, beneficial and enforceable management framework for the Marine Aquarium fishery in Tonga.
The efforts to make fisheries more sustainable will focus on: 1) Strengthened management measures guiding the sustainable utilisation of the Marine Aquarium fish; 2) establishment of an Economically viable Marine Aquarium Fishery; 3) Improved livelihoods of people in coastal communities; and 4) Raised awareness and understanding of the Marine Aquarium Fishery and its contribution to Tonga’s productivity.
The strengthening of the management measures will focus on the implementation and monitoring of the harvesting, packing and exporting rules, establishment of a Code of Practice for the above, effective participatory approach to fisheries management, restrict utilisation of the Marine Aquarium fish by controlling the number of harvesting and export licences, resource assessment including non-detrimental findings for corals, to use the best available scientific data, developing of a registry consistent with Fisheries (Local Fishing) Regulations 2009 for registration of vessel operating in the marine aquarium fishery, and trial of appropriate and affordable technology for monitoring aquarium fishery vessel operations. Further, to establish an economically viable Marine Aquarium Fishery, an economic assessment of the Marine Aquarium fish will be conducted across the three island groups, Tongatapu, Ha‟apai and Vava‟u, and a packing facility for holding and packing of the aquarium fish will be supported.
To reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of people in coastal communities, the government will work to ensure Tongans benefit through employment opportunities; provide training opportunity for Marine Aquarium operators and all employees operating under that licence on using best practice for harvesting and packing of the Marine Aquarium fish; and provide technical support and training for farming Marine Aquarium fish as an alternative for harvesting wild stock.
To enable more inclusive fishery systems efforts will be done to raise awareness and understanding of the marine aquarium fishery and its contribution to Tonga’s productivity, and developing and maintaining transparent and informed management decisions for the public.
Regarding governance, the MAMC is primarily responsible for the implementation and review of the fishery plan or otherwise monitor the performance of the fishery subject of the fishery plan or perform such other duties and responsibilities as are given it under the fishery plan consistent with this Act”. The Plan also acknowledges the different stakeholders within this fishery and their respective roles in co-managing the fishery. The Ministry of Fisheries role is to promote the conservation, management, sustainable utilisation and development of Marine Aquarium fish.