Sustainable Coastal Fisheries Management Activity in the Pacific Region

This five-year Sustainable Coastal Fisheries Management Activity in the Pacific Region seeks to address the drivers of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing that are degrading coastal fisheries and biodiversity and negatively impacting local livelihoods, food stability, and maritime security. Through this cooperative agreement, the United States Agency for International Development, Pacific Islands (USAID/Pacific Islands) looks to co-develop an activity to support sustainable coastal fisheries and protection of associated coastal and marine ecosystems in the Pacific Islands Region. While the primary focus is on coastal fisheries, this activity considers the ecological connection of coastal and oceanic fisheries and thus seeks solutions to challenges of IUU fishing across the Pacific. This activity will support the overall development goal of increasing the self-reliance of Pacific Island partners. At the penultimate level, this activity will improve the quality of life for Pacific Islanders by increasing ecosystem services and resilience at both the ecosystem and community level. This will be done in connection with ensuring a free and open environment for the people of the Pacific Islands, and the implementation of safeguards to secure the natural capital associated with their coastal marine resources. Integrating private sector partners, civil society organizations (CSO), and various levels of governmental stakeholders will ensure long-term success of the program and a way to establish and foster partnerships within and between Pacific communities to reach this goal.