US Coast Guard Cutter Mellon Commanding Officer Stephen Burdian

The US Coast Guard Cutter Mellon will continue to strengthen its ship rider agreement with Fiji.

Ship rider agreement is made with the US and other pacific island countries including Fiji in an effort to monitor and enforce new measure to conserve tuna stocks.

US Coast Guard Cutter Mellon Commanding Officer Stephen Burdian says this agreement has been successful in previous years and they will work to continue this year.

“In 2015 it was estimated that $5 billion in the tuna industry was generated most of which it came from the pacific. In 2017 we had about 2,5 million tones that was landed and that was just the stuff that we know of. So together exercising our agreements again we can work hard to ensure that those fisheries stock, our national resources are respected amongst our nations and that we preserve for future generations.”

Burdian says the 154 Coast Guard crew will undertake joint operations with the Fiji Naval Officers to ensure the Fiji waters are safe from narcotics trafficking and unregulated fishing.

The Coast Guard will leave the Fiji waters tomorrow.