I have written a lot about the work MIMRA has welcomed to be involved with since 2018, even during the COVID years… My work there covers quite a few areas on the oceanic side of their mandate, yet much of the focus has been on MCS, PSM, transhipments, and crew labour issues.
I’ve said many times that working with them has been, so far, the highlight of my consultant career, both at professional and personal levels… they have always welcomed me as one more in the team, and I see my colleagues there more like friends than people I work with. And I will always be very grateful to NZMFAT for the trust, but overall the vision of working with fellow countries on long-term commitments.
iMCSn Chair Garry Orr, MIMRA’s Director Glen Joseph, MIMRA’s Chief Fisheries Officer Beau Bigler, iMCSn Director Mark Young in the from row… I’m the ugly bloke in the back.
My policy and operational approaches are sometimes a bit “unusual”, and focus on separating what is “nice” from what is ”necessary” and focus on the latter, also in making sure that newly acquired responsibilities don’t pile up on the already busy life of the crew there. And I always feel supported by them, even if sometimes against the advice of more “traditional” approaches and colleagues.
Anyway… I love working there.
As I wrote before, this week we have been at the 7th Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop (7GFETW) here in Halifax, organised by my colleagues at the International Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network (iMCSn)
And last night, during a ceremony, MIMRA’s Oceanic Fisheries team won the “Stop IUU Fishing” Meritorious Award for their PSM work in Majuro, the world’s largest transhipment port.
Needless to say, I was absolutely stoked for them because is totally deserved.
The award not only recognised the excellence of the systems in place and the work of MIMRA’s oceanic division fisheries officers but also MIMRA’s outstanding level of transparency and mutually beneficial collaboration with technology providers.
The award recognised the long-term collaborations and the leading role that RMI has with regional fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance institutions such as the Pacific Islands Fisheries Forum Agency (FFA) and the iMCSn, where MIMRA’s Director MR Glen Joseph, serves as vice chair, but also at the bilateral level with many partners such as Thailand’s Department of Fisheries and in particular, with NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT) that has supported the work of fisheries advisor working with the Oceanic Division operations since 2018.
During the award ceremony, the chair of the iMCSn, Mr Gary Orr, highlighted MIMRA’s contribution to the fight against IUU in the following manner:
Leading national and regional anti-IUU activities through its world-class Port State Measures best practices.
Supporting a rights-based management approach to the world’s largest tuna fishery.
Ensuring robust, efficient, and effective collaboration amongst all other FFA and PNA member countries.
Sustaining regional focus to promote uniform and transparent Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS).
Using innovative and cutting-edge IT solutions, including electronic monitoring and reporting.
Aggregating support from donors and the broader international community
Ensuring the safety of the observers at sea.
Committing to gender issues and the elimination of barriers to women
Promoting regional solutions and effective collaboration with South-South Cooperation.
Providing practical and effective training across a wide range of MCS functions with the support of regional partners.
Establishing MoUs for compliance and catch data sharing with crucial processing countries.
Unmatched levels of transparency and open information are available on their website https://www.rmimimra.com
Establishing MoUs and collaborations with international technology and transparency partners and the iMCS Network.
At a personal level, to have been for a snd time on a podium regarding my work on the IUU area is very humbling (here are details from when I was the 1st time with my work with both FFA and Thailand’s DoF).
Beau Bigler… all around great guy and fisheries professional
And also, at a personal level, I think that a lot of the work that took MIMRA to this price was in the shoulders of my friend Beau, the great bloke in this picture… enjoy that price, mate; you totally deserve it.
Full respect!