90' rn the south-rrest pacific, a rnajor part of the work of the south pacificComnission (sPc), under its Tuna an(t Bill Fish Assessnent prografine, is devoted tothe co.]-tection of information on the rapidry expanding inLernationar fisherles intbe area for tuna and oeher highly migratory species _ the rnajor fisheriesresources of the regiori, rta principal activilies are the esiablisbnent of aregionaL fisheries statistics syatem, !o which atr ricensed industrial fishingvessels operating ln spc member countries are to provide catch and effort data, andasse.snent of rnteraction betneen fisheries, both between countries and betseendifferent fishing nethods. A particurarry i.pore.nt aspect of this rrork is thedeternination of the effects of the growing iiraustriar freet on the regionrssmalr'-scale and subsistence fishernen. spc has brought the coastal states and thedis.ant-water fishing nations together to expl.re naya and means of inproving ttatainput tso the spc prograflune. Data for fisherles within the excrusive econonic zonesof spc nernbers fron industr iar-scare fishing vessels ls generarly conpleteihosever, there is onry rinited data on fishinq fron a nunber of high seas areas inthe sPc region. Furthernore, fisheries outsi;e the spc region inliract wihh theregional. fishery due to the hi.ghly mlgratory nature of the resource and datathereon is linited. There has thus Deen consicrerabre diacuasion of the need for anorganizational structure which would enable diatant-pater fishing nat.ion€ toparticipate nore actively in the SpC progradne. 91. Tbe South pacific Forum Fisheries Agency (SpFfA) ts currently assisting itsnembers in negotiations with the united states Governnent on a nultilaterarfisheries access agreenent on tuna, whlch wourd coeer tlre conbined exclusiveeconomic zones of participatrng countries. There has been atetailed drscussion ofterms and conditions of access and on enforcenent rights of the coastal state. andthe flag States. 92. Vlhile tropical tuna in the South pacific region appear to be harvested atsustalnable levels, there has been serious concern about the arepleted state of tbesouthern bluefin tuna stock. consistent n,ith artlcr.e 64 0f the conventl.n on theLaw of the sea, trilateral negotiations have been taking place on a regular basissince 1983 between Auatralia. Japan and Nen, zearand on the future nanagenent of^/ 40 /923 Engllsh Page 25 thls endangered resource. The three countrles have agreed that catch llnits r{iII have to be adhered to and each lras voluntartly taken action to thls end' Agreenent bas yeE to be reached on a legally binding nanagenent rfulne, however, and tbe negotiations are to continue. Anadromous sDecles 93. The new organi,zation established by the 1983 Coneention for bhe Conservation of the Salnon ln the North Atlantic (NASCO) has undertaken as one of its fitst steps an analysis of catch statlEtlcs for salnon stock taken ln rivers and areas of flshing juristliction of the six Partles. In the north Pacific' the UnlEed states{anada west coaat salnon Agreenent, sign€d ln January 1985' was ratified by both countries ln uarch. Marine JnarNoals 94. The International gfballng Comllesion (IliC) ln July 1985 eatabllshed a Working croup to produce r econrnendat lons for the 1986 neeting of lhe connisslon on the
**Analysis**
The text appears to be focused on the management and conservation of natural resources, specifically fisheries and tuna, in the South Pacific region. It discusses the efforts of the South Pacific Commission to establish a regional fisheries statistics system and the challenges of managing fisheries resources in the face of increasing industrial fishing and climate change. The text also touches on international agreements and negotiations related to fisheries management.

**Category**
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Natural resources and environment