Context 

In 2019, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Pacific Community (SPC) signed an agreement enabling the exchange of maritime boundary datasets—marking a significant milestone under the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme. This agreement advanced efforts to combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing by enhancing the Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) of both oceanic and coastal fisheries. 

Recognising that accurate and updated maritime boundary data is critical for effective vessel monitoring, FFA member countries authorised SPC to release its authoritative dataset in an internationally standardised format. This enabled integration into FFA’s Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), which tracks fishing fleets across the Pacific. The agreement was executed under a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between SPC and FFA and officially operationalised the inclusion of legally recognised Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) into the VMS framework. 

Prior to this integration, the VMS relied on provisional EEZ lines derived from various open data sources, including outdated US Treaty lines developed before the Maritime Boundaries Project was transferred to SPC. As more countries in the region formally declared their maritime boundaries, updated datasets became accessible through open platforms and were progressively adopted into the system. 

European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, HE Sujiro Seam during the signing in 2019, commended the agreement, noting it reinforced the EU’s global commitment to SDG 14—Life Below Water—and enhanced maritime security across Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The agreement aligns with the “Blue Pacific Continent” strategy endorsed by Pacific Leaders in 2019. 

Change Process 

The strengthened collaboration between FFA and SPC has significantly supported member countries in managing their offshore fisheries resources sustainably. FFA Director General Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen, at the signing of the agreement, acknowledged the importance of the ongoing Service Level Agreement, particularly in the context of delimiting and managing maritime boundaries. 

SPC’s Director General Dr Stuart Minchin emphasised the operational benefits: national fisheries officers now have access to internationally recognised boundary data, enabling them to confidently manage IUU incidents. The agreement has amplified the Pacific’s ability to protect one of its most vital economic assets—its fisheries—by improving surveillance and legal enforcement capacities. 

The shared data originates from the Pacific Regional Maritime Boundaries Project, coordinated by SPC. Since 2001, the project has helped countries gain legal certainty over their maritime zones, supporting the declaration of 19 bilateral maritime boundaries. The initiative has been supported by a strong consortium of regional and international partners including the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, FFA, DFAT, MFAT, Geoscience Australia, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the EU and Sweden through PEUMP. 

Results and Impact 

Before this agreement, many Pacific Island countries lacked formally defined maritime boundaries within the VMS system. This lack of clarity created legal uncertainties that complicated enforcement, especially when vessels crossed into contested or undefined EEZs. The provisional datasets previously used were helpful for general surveillance, but not robust enough to support legal action due to jurisdictional disputes. 

With the integration of SPC’s authoritative datasets, countries can now confidently enforce maritime boundaries. For example, in a recent case involving a South Korean longliner, the Marshall Islands was able to pursue legal redress for EEZ incursions and reach an out-of-court settlement—made possible by access to official maritime boundary lines. Such outcomes were not previously feasible when relying on provisional data. 

The updated datasets have also allowed for more accurate identification of vessel incursions and improved response time in MCS operations. This not only strengthens the region’s IUU deterrence efforts but also enhances diplomatic and legal cooperation between countries. 

Looking forward, stakeholders have identified several areas for continued improvement: the need for timely updates whenever new boundaries are deposited with the UN, increased capacity building for national officers on the technical aspects of maritime boundary work, and the integration of updated boundary data into navigational charts. Additionally, further development of the Pacific Data Hub as a centralised repository will support accessibility and transparency. Countries have also requested support in resolving internal boundary issues and closed zone delineations to complete the regional picture. 

Key Lessons Learned 

1. Collaboration is essential for regional success 
   The effective partnership between SPC and FFA demonstrates how inter-agency collaboration, supported by clear mandates and agreements like the Service Level Agreement (SLA), can lead to impactful outcomes. Coordinated efforts enabled the operationalisation of critical data that individual agencies alone could not have achieved. 

2. Authoritative data underpins effective enforcement 
   Integrating officially recognised maritime boundary data into the FFA Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) significantly improved the legal and operational capacity of Pacific Island countries to address IUU fishing. The story shows that accurate, shared datasets are foundational for surveillance, prosecution, and diplomacy. 

3. Legal certainty reduces disputes and strengthens sovereignty 
   Prior reliance on provisional or inconsistent data contributed to jurisdictional ambiguity and limited enforcement effectiveness. The shift to officially agreed EEZ boundaries reduced uncertainty and enabled countries to assert and defend their maritime rights confidently, as seen in the Marshall Islands case. 

4. Open data sharing strengthens regional security and trust 
   The move to openly share datasets among regional partners and integrate them into central systems like the Pacific Data Hub fosters transparency, trust, and cooperation across Pacific nations. It also supports better maritime governance and compliance with international standards such as UNCLOS. 

5. Capacity building and technical support remain critical 
   While the agreement marks progress, continued training and technical assistance are needed to empower national officers to fully leverage the data, integrate it into navigational systems, and address remaining internal boundary issues. 

6. Regional data initiatives can serve as global models 
   The Pacific is emerging as a leader in collaborative maritime boundary management. This initiative demonstrates how small island states, when acting collectively with strong technical backing, can overcome complex geopolitical challenges and deliver global best practices.