ABSTRACT
The South Pacific Region is vast, so vast that to fly along the equator from Indonesia to Ecuador, a distance of some 14,400 kilometres would take approximately 14 hours in a modern jet. The South Pacific countries and territories range from low–lying atolls to towering mountains. The South Pacific Commission (SPC) guiding philosophy is that of service to its island member countries, together with cooperation with other regional and international organizations, working to improve the economic, social and environmental qualities of the region. The organization draws up an annual work programme which is then approved by the SPC Annual Intergovernmental Meeting, a process which ensures that it remains responsive to the expressed needs of the island members. The South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency was established in 1979 following a directive from the Forum in response to a need for increased regional cooperation in the management and conservation of fisheries across the vast Pacific.
