Island nations cement law enforcement on high seas

ABOVE:CPO Brad Bessell (RMI) provides damage control instruction to an Island Chief participant.

SS Micronesia’s boarding party prepare to board the Fish Carrier Prim Rose 888.

A Tri-Nation Maritime Surveillance Operation involving five Pacific Class Patrol Boats (PPBs) was held in August, marking significant achievements for our Pacific neighbours and cementing strong relationships in regional fisheries law enforcement.

Operation Island Chief 2002, involved PPBs from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of Palau and the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI).

LCDR Greg Rochester, Maritime Surveillance Adviser (MSA) FSM, LCDR Bob Thomas MSA MI, LCDR Bob Heffey MSA Palau, along with RAN technical advisers to the three nations, including CPO Roger Whittaker (FSM), CPO Bob Connelly (FSM), CPO Brad Bessell (RMI) and CPO Mick Stancovic, headed Australia’s involvement. These island postings are a permanent result of Australia’s gifting of PPBs to the Pacific nations.

The primary aim of Operation Island Chief 2002 was for the three nations to assist and carry out surveillance and law enforcement in each respective country’s waters. It was also designed to improve the level of maritime skills and maintain interoperability with other nation’s PPBs.

Island Chief was the result of the subsidiary agreement to the Niue Treaty on Co-operation in Fisheries Surveillance and Law Enforcement between FSM, RMI and Palau, signed in Majuro, RMI, on February 7, 2002. This historic agreement allowed the three countries to undertake this inaugural operation in each other’s respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

The operation provided an opportunity for the crews of the participating PPBs to showcase their skills with PPB crews from neighbouring nations.

It also highlighted the importance of marine resources in each respective country’s EEZ and emphasised the need to sustain the resources for economic, traditional and future generations.

Island Chief got under way with a formation entry of all participating PPBs into Pohnpei on August 5. A band and traditional dancing girls welcomed the PPBs to Pohnpei.

FSM’s Attorney General, Hon Paul McIlrath officially welcomed the commanding officers and ships’ companies to Pohnpei, declaring Operation Island Chief 2002 officially open.

A three-day workshop at the beginning of Island Chief proved to be most successful with training and briefings provided, including passage planning, Vessel Monitoring System(VMS) operations, damage control procedures and onboard exercises, medical procedures and surveillance communications and plotting.

During the workshop FSM produced Niue Subsidiary Agreement ID cards for all participating nation members, as required within the agreement. Niue Subsidiary Flags were produced by the Forum Fisheries Agency based in Honiara and distributed to all participating PPBs to be flown on the starboard halyard during the period of operation, again as required by the agreement.

The participating PPBs departed Pohnpei on August 8 for the operational phase of Island Chief. A US Coast Guard C130 and a RNZAF P3K, who provided maritime aerial surveillance support, making numerous contacts of foreign fishing vessels in all three nations EEZs, joined the operation.

The participating PPBs were able to make port visits to Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk and Yap (FSM), Majuro (RMI) and Koror (Palau). In addition to the operation FSS PALIKIR, PSS REMELIIK conducted two days whole ship practical fire fighting at FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute located in Yap, during their two-day visit. From all reports this initiative was most successful and very well received by both ship companies.

For the first time the Fisheries Agency provided VMS data of all three nations’ EEZs to each nations’ VMS terminal for the period of the operation. Each nation had to seek approval via their Foreign Affairs Departments before FFA could activate the sharing of VMS data. Island Chief operation’s room, manned on a 24hr basis, monitored all three participating nation’s EEZs via VMS. VMS proved to be a successful tool in providing a picture of all three nations EEZs.

As a result of the operation, two fishing vessels were detained in Pohnpei following their seizure within the EEZ of FSM for illegal fishing and transhipping (See separate story).

Island Chief’s closure on August 23, marked a significant achievement for FSM, RMI and Palau. Not only has it strengthened Fisheries Law Enforcement within the region but importantly enhanced the operational capability of all participants.

• By LCDR Greg Rochester, RAN

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