US awards $60M aid to Pacific islands fishing agency to back tuna treaty

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Washington today announced the release of $60 million to the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency as part of a 10-year Economic Assistance Agreement associated with the South Pacific Tuna Treaty.

The treaty allows U.S.-flagged vessels to fish in the exclusive economic zones of 16 Pacific Island countries, generating hundreds of millions per year in gross revenue for the U.S. economy.

Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the State Department, said Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the grant during his meeting with the Pacific Islands ambassadors and representatives of Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.

"The deputy secretary and the Ambassadors also discussed greater involvement of the U.S. private sector to promote prosperity for all," Bruce added.