Vanuatu’s patrol vessel RVS Takuare is preparing to carry out official high seas operations following a special training session held in Luganville last week.
As part of Vanuatu’s preparation to take part in high seas boarding and investigations, officers from the Vanuatu Police Maritime Wing (PMW) participated in a training exercise conducted by the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). The training was supported by the governments of Australia and New Zealand, and follows Vanuatu’s formal notification to FFA registering RVS Takuare under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) framework.
More than 40 officers from the Police Maritime Wing and the Department of Fisheries took part in the training, which focused on building skills and knowledge to investigate fishing vessels operating outside of Vanuatu’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Commanding Officer of RVS Takuare, Antony Ihu, said the main objective was to prepare officers for enforcement work beyond national waters.
“Since we submitted our notification through FFA to WCPFC, our vessel RVS Takuare will now be listed on the official registry, allowing us to operate on the high seas. This training is a crucial part of that preparation,” Ihu explained.
He added that once training is completed, the officers will be able to conduct effective investigations in high seas areas—particularly targeting fishing vessels that commit offences and attempt to hide outside national jurisdictions.
“Often, vessels that commit offences retreat into these pockets beyond our EEZ, where we previously had no legal authority to act. After this training, our teams will be authorised to board and investigate these vessels,” he said.
FFA Monitoring and Surveillance Policy Advisor, Jayson Raubani, called the training a significant milestone for Vanuatu.
“This training follows Vanuatu’s request and ensures that, once the country’s application to the Commission is approved, enforcement officers will have the skills and knowledge needed to carry out high seas boardings.”
A final decision on Vanuatu’s application to register RVS Takuare for high seas operations will be made on 29 July 2025 at the upcoming WCPFC meeting.
If approved, Vanuatu will officially join other Pacific nations in enforcing regional fisheries laws on the high seas—a critical step in the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and in safeguarding the Pacific’s marine resources for future generations.
