Sainiani Boila 
Fiji is preparing to bolster its defenses against illegal fishing and smuggling as Parliament debates a new bill that would require all vessels to keep their tracking systems active while in Fijian waters.
The reform, welcomed by Opposition MP Jone Usamate, seeks to close a loophole exploited by foreign ships suspected of illicit activities.
Speaking in Parliament, Usamate endorsed the Maritime Transport Budget Amendment Bill, describing it as “a very good move” to secure Fiji’s maritime borders.
He highlighted the persistent challenges the nation faces with illegal fishing vessels and the broader threat posed by smuggling especially drugs entering the country via sea routes.
“Big problem with our porous borders, people bringing in drugs and so forth. I think this will help the people that look after these areas, especially illegal fishing.”
Central to the legislation is a new requirement for ships to keep their Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched on at all times within Fiji’s territory.
While AIS technology is standard on vessels worldwide, unscrupulous operators are known to disable these devices to avoid detection when fishing illegally or smuggling illicit cargo.
Usamate argued that making AIS activation mandatory would give authorities a critical tool to track vessel movements and intercept potential offenders.
The Maritime Transport Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
