THE Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has delivered a second 2026 payout of $USD50.42 million to Pacific Island Parties under the United States Tuna Treaty, further strengthening one of the region’s most enduring fisheries partnerships.
The payment follows receipt in mid-July of the United States Government’s $USD60 million contribution for this year under the treaty framework governing US purse-seine fishing access to Pacific Island waters.
Under the agreed distribution arrangements, $USD49.5 million of this year’s payment was allocated to the second distribution. The total payout of $USD50,422,481 also includes revenue from the balance of purchased fishing days and the redistribution of Fiji’s pledged share to members of the Exploratory Pool, in line with a decision made by Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) Ministers in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, in 2023.
The remaining $USD10.5 million from the US Government’s 2026 contribution has been reserved for the first distribution in 2027.
According to the FFA, the funds will be placed in a term deposit to earn interest for the benefit of Pacific Island Parties.
An additional $USD1.5 million allocated under the Fishing Effort component will be distributed in early 2027, after this year’s fishing activities by treaty vessels have been completed and final allocations have been determined.
FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop welcomed the latest disbursement and highlighted the significance of the treaty to Pacific Island economies.
“The U.S. Tuna Treaty remains an important and enduring partnership for our region. This latest distribution represents a significant contribution to Pacific Island Parties and reflects the value of the cooperation that has been built under the Treaty over many years,” Pakop said.
He also acknowledged both the United States Government and Fiji’s contribution to the process.
“We acknowledge the United States Government for its continued commitment and Fiji for honouring its pledge to redistribute its share in line with the decision of FFC Ministers,” he said.
The U.S. Tuna Treaty, which entered into force in 1988, provides the legal framework that allows US purse seine vessels to fish within the Exclusive Economic Zones of participating Pacific Island countries.
The agreement has undergone several rounds of renegotiation, most recently in June 2024, when parties agreed to extend the treaty for a further 10 years, covering the period 2023 to 2033, with revised terms and a new financial package.
In July, representatives of the United States and Pacific Island Parties met in Wellington, New Zealand, for their annual consultations on treaty implementation and broader fisheries cooperation. The Pacific Island Parties to the treaty are Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
