Micronesia puts surveillance on map
The Federated States’ exclusive economic zone is over a million square miles and is made up of over 600 islands, it’s hard to patrol with three PPBs

The MSA Adviser LCDR Greg Rochester with the CO of FSS Independence LCDR Simion Weitto.

Small arms practice aboard Independence.

Technical adviser CPO Bob Connelly checks radio installations in the area.

A map of the vast EEZ.

By LCDR Greg Rochester
The Maritime Surveillance Adviser (MSA) to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), LCDR Greg Rochester, and Technical Adviser (Electrical), CPO Bob Connelly conducted a series of maritime surveillance workshops throughout FSM’s Outer Islands in April and May this year.

FSS Independence, under the command of LCDR Simion Weitto, was tasked to undertake the voyage taking in seven of the Outer Islands. FSS Independence is one of three Pacific Class Patrol Boats (PPB) donated to the FSM by the Australian Government.

FSM’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is over one million square miles and is made up of over 600 Islands.

Like most Pacific nations, FSM’s EEZ is rich in tuna stocks and therefore a highly sought after fishing location for Foreign Fishing Vessels (FFV).

Maintaining adequate coverage of such a large maritime surveillance area is very difficult with three PPBs and limited aerial surveillance availability.

The aim of the workshops is to extend FSM’s maritime surveillance capability by having FSM Outer Islanders monitoring their surrounding seas for any illegal fishing or suspicious activities and to report such activities via HF radio to the FSM Maritime Wing Headquarters in Pohnpei.

The workshops included FFV recognition, local FFV intelligence gathering, FSM’s fishing regulations, HF radio operations and reporting procedures. At the same time TA(L), CPO Bob Connelly, serviced and repaired the Outer Islands HF radios and solar equipment.

The FSM Outer Islanders were most grateful for the workshops and to be included in the process of protecting their nation’s fisheries resources for future generations to come.

In addition to the workshops, the transiting periods between islands provided an opportunity to conduct a variety of exercises in fire fighting, damage control, and small arms training onboard FSS Independence. It is planned to conduct future workshops later this year that will take in the FSM Outer Islands to the east of Pohnpei.

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