The FFA is the primary agency responsible for managing offshore tuna fisheries within 200-mile zones of its 17 member nations. Pakop made the comments this week in Honiara, after the FFA received the second distribution of 2026 funds under the US Tuna Treaty, totalling US$50.42 million. “This latest distribution represents a significant contribution to Pacific Island Parties and reflects the value of the cooperation that has been built under the Treaty over many years,” Pakop said. “The US Tuna Treaty is one of the Pacific’s longest-standing fisheries partnerships and provides an important framework for fisheries cooperation between the United States and Pacific Island Parties.” The Pacific Island parties are: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Naoero, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.