Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission

24/05/2026

📢 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭: 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝟑𝟎 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐂𝐏𝐅 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Article 30 of the WCPF Convention requires the Commission to take into account the special requirements of developing States to the Convention, particularly those of small island developing States, territories, and possessions, in relation to conservation and management of highly migratory fish stocks in the Convention Area and development of fisheries for such stocks.

✔️ The Commission agreed to conduct an independent review of its implementation of Article 30 of the Convention and to review findings at its 23rd Regular Annual Session in 2027. The review will begin in mid-2026 and conclude in July 2027, and require active consultation with WCPFC members in the development of the report.

Suitably qualified independent experts are invited to submit an expression of interest, together with a CV, to the Secretariat by 𝟭𝟵 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 to be considered for appointment to the Review Panel.

📁 This notice is also published on the homepage of the WCPFC website under the 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴/𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 tab.

➡️ Visit https://www.wcpfc.int/about/convention-and-map to see the full text of Article 30 in the WCPF Convention. to see the full text of Article 30 in the WCPF Convention.

20/05/2026

20/05/2026

🌟 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗲 𝗢𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 | 𝗩𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗩𝗠𝗢)

Meet this week’s Staff Spotlight — Billy Joe Olter, one of our Vessel Management Officers (VMO) in the Compliance team!

Billy joined the team in September 2025 after 12 years of service working as a fisheries observer, and takes great pride in his role.

Ever wondered about the work that happens behind the scenes to support fisheries compliance and vessel management? Tune in as Billy shares insights into his work at the Tuna Commission, what his role involves, and the impact he helps make every.

07/05/2026

🚀 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Secretariat staff participated in a dynamic, two-day workshop on 5-6 May, facilitated by the Strategic Horizons Group (Dayle Stanley and Meagan K.).

💡 The workshop sessions created a space for staff to think imaginatively, remain open-minded, and explore possible and plausible futures, without limitations. Workshop activities asked participants to think about future scenarios and identify key elements that would shape the path toward those futures. Interactive group exercises culminated in the development of new ideas to strengthen the Secretariat's support to WCPFC members' efforts toward meeting core objectives.

In wrapping up the workshop, WCPFC Executive Director Rhea Moss-Christian expressed the Secretariat's sincere appreciation to the Strategic Horizons Group for delivering a unique and impactful program. She recognized the active participation and commitment by all Secretariat staff throughout the 2-day workshop and the value that this experience would add to enhancing the Secretariat's capacity to deliver on its requirements.

#𝗪𝗖𝗣𝗙𝗖 #𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 #𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 #𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

06/05/2026

The Secretariat's World Tuna Day festivities culminated in an evening reception hosted on May 1st at the Secretariat for members of the local community. Guests included the Governor of Pohnpei and representatives of the diplomatic corps, as well as UN agencies resident in Pohnpei.

The evening began with a video that provided guests with basic information about WCPFC's mandate, complemented by a display of posters that conveyed general fisheries characteristics of those WCPFC members with diplomatic representation in the FSM (Australia, China, Japan, and the United States), and WCPFC's host nation, the FSM.

The evening was filled with friendly conversation, fresh sashimi and other local delights, and a reminder of the vital role that tuna plays not only for the FSM, but for many island communities in the region and across the world.

#𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐲𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 #𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 #𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚 #𝐰𝐜𝐩𝐟𝐜

01/05/2026

🐟 The WCPFC Secretariat celebrated World Tuna Day in advance of May 2 with a week of outreach and engagement, culminating in an open house that welcomed the local community in Pohnpei to the Secretariat to learn more about WCPFC's mission.

📂 Throughout the week, staff delivered presentations at the Pohnpei State Governor’s Office and the College of Micronesia–FSM, offering an overview of the Commission’s work, its mandate in sustainable fisheries management, and the shared responsibility to protect tuna resources for future generations.

🏢 Today's open house at the Secretariat featured guided office tours, presentations, and the distribution of educational materials, providing a valuable opportunity to enhance public understanding of sustainable tuna fisheries and effective ocean stewardship.

🌏 We were pleased to welcome a strong and diverse turnout, including students from both public and private elementary schools, college students, and representatives from various local organizations and offices, as well as the local community.

🤝Continued awareness and collaboration remain essential to advancing responsible fisheries management and safeguarding our ocean resources. Happy World Tuna Day!

28/04/2026

🌏 On 7 December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution to designate 2 May as World Tuna Day. The Resolution recognized, in part, the heavy reliance by many countries on tuna for food security, economic development, and employment, as well as tuna's cultural importance in many island nations.

📈 The most recent available data on global tuna fisheries (FAO, 2023) states that an estimated 99% of commercial tuna catches come from stocks that are scientifically assessed to be biologically sustainable. The latest data (2024) for the Western and Central Pacific Ocean confirm that tuna stocks managed by the WCPFC are biologically healthy.

𝟱𝟲% ➡️ the percentage of global tuna catch managed by the WCPFC, making it the world's largest tuna fishery.

𝟯,𝟬𝟱𝟵,𝟬𝟬𝟱 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀 ➡️ total 2024 tuna catch in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, a record catch.

𝗨𝗦𝗗$𝟱.𝟲 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 ➡️ 2024 provisional total value of tuna catch in the WCPFC area.

📅 On May 2, take a moment wherever you are to reflect on the importance of tuna to global food security, as well as to the economic and cultural livelihoods of island and coastal communities across the world.

🏢 The WCPFC Secretariat is opening our doors to the public on Friday, May 1 for an office tour, presentations by Secretariat staff, and free momentos to the first 100 visitors. If you are in Pohnpei, stop by and join us in a celebration of the mighty tuna!

23/04/2026

Pohnpei Fishing Club Tournament brings community together 🌊🐟

WCPFC, together with Caroline Fisheries Corporation (CFC), was proud to sponsor the recent Pohnpei Fishing Club tournament, bringing together local fishers, families, and the wider community for a fantastic event.

The fish of the day was an impressive 51.8 pound dogtooth tuna, weighed in by Kevin Sehpen aboard Sapwu, a standout catch! Congratulations also to H.E. Jenny Grant, Australian Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia, who took out the Lady Angler category with a 24 lb GT, and to Kimo Jr, winner of the junior category with an impressive 18.6 lb yellowfin tuna.

Fisheries Officials visiting from the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Marshall Islands and Fiji were pleased to attend the weigh-in and see firsthand the impressive catch. Events like this highlight not only the skill and dedication of local fishers, but also the importance of sustainable tuna fisheries for communities across the Pacific.

Well done to the Pohnpei Fishing Club and all involved 👏

22/04/2026

🌍 Earth Day reminds us that the health of our oceans is the foundation of healthy, sustainable fisheries and food security across the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.
The WCPFC is committed to conserving and sustainably managing tuna and other highly migratory fish stocks, ensuring that ocean resources today are protected for generations to come.
Healthy oceans. Responsible fisheries. A shared future.

#𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗗𝗮𝘆 #𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 #𝗪𝗖𝗣𝗙𝗖 #𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵