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Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, and valued community members,
Welcome to our important gathering today, where we focus on the critical role of Community-Based Fisheries Management (CBFM) in sustaining the vibrant coastal fisheries that are a cornerstone of our regional identity and economy.
Representatives from five Pacific island countries have been in Nadi this week to begin the development of regional and national plans to implement the European Union (EU) funded Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) programme By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) component, to ensure that it contributes to achieving national and regional objectives and meets the needs of national governments and coastal communities.
The By-catch and Integrated Ecosystem Management (BIEM) Initiative hosted a one-hour side event on the final day of the 10th Pacific Islands Conference − Nature Conservation and Protected Areas, which was held virtually from 24 to 27 November, 2020. The side event provided an opportunity to update on progress of the turtle extinction risk assessment for the Pacific islands region.