SIXTEEN vessels of interest were identified during Operation Island Chief 2026 (OPIC26) — the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) coordinated regional surveillance operations.
The two-week operation this month also resulted in the arrest of four vessels which is one of the highest numbers recorded in recent FFA-coordinated operations.
FFA director-general Noan Pakop said OPIC26 covered about 27.5 million square kilometres of the Pacific Ocean, monitoring the activities of more than 3,000 fishing vessels operating in the area.
“The operation involved extensive aerial and surface surveillance in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of 11 FFA member countries and adjacent high seas,” Pakop said.
Participating members are Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Naoero, New Zealand, Palau, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The operation was supported by members of the Pacific Quadrilateral Defence Coordination Group and fisheries analysts — Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States — through the provision of surveillance assets and other operational support.
“The outcome reflects the increasingly targeted nature of regional surveillance operations, combining intelligence analysis, satellite and remote-sensing technology, aerial surveillance, surface patrols and vessel inspections to identify activities requiring further investigation by members,” Pakop said.
“Operation Island Chief has again demonstrated the value of our collective efforts to detect and respond to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, which remains a threat to the sustainability of our region’s tuna resources.”
“The identification of 16 vessels of interest is a significant outcome from this operation and demonstrates the strength of our increasingly targeted approach to regional surveillance.
“These results reflect the growing capability of our members, supported by intelligence, technology and strong partnerships, to identify activities of concern and protect our vast ocean areas.”
