Honiara, 27 August 2025 – The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR), with support from the Pacific Community (SPC) and New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries’ Te Pātuitanga Ahumoana a Kiwa (Te Patui), successfully convened the Provincial Monitoring, Control, Surveillance, and Enforcement (MCS+E) Refresher Training for Inshore (Coastal) Fisheries in Honiara from 18 to 22 August 2025.
The training brought together provincial fisheries officers from across the country, focusing not only on technical skills but also on strengthening their role as guardians of legislation, resources, and community trust.
Participants were introduced to awareness toolkits and audience-mapping techniques to better engage communities. Practical sessions highlighted the importance of testimonies, trust, and identifying local “champions” to foster voluntary compliance. Traditional values, or kastom, were also explored as vital components of modern compliance practices—showing how enforcement aligned with cultural identity builds legitimacy and trust.
The programme featured hands-on inspections at Honiara’s Central Market, restaurants, and retail outlets. Officers practiced structured introductions, inspection protocols, and safety procedures, followed by debriefs to refine their approach. Scenario-based exercises further developed competencies in casefile management, incident reporting, and evidentiary standards—underscoring that accurate record-keeping is a cornerstone of both fairness and prosecutorial strength.
The week concluded with participants reflecting on their dual responsibility as enforcers of law and stewards of community resources. Officers left with sharpened inspection skills and, more importantly, a renewed commitment to serving communities, protecting coastal fisheries, and upholding professional integrity.
The refresher training served as more than just a technical exercise—it reflected a broader commitment to integrating law, ethics, culture, and communication into compliance and enforcement efforts. By doing so, it emphasized that fisheries officers are not only tasked with upholding regulations but also with building lasting partnerships and trust within the communities they serve.
The Provincial MCS+E Refresher Training aligns with MFMR’s vision to provide effective services that facilitate the sustainable management and development of fisheries and aquatic resources for the benefit of all Solomon Islanders.
The Pacific Community (SPC) provided financial support for this program.
Meanwhile, the facilitators at this training included Mark Nicholson (Team Leader) William Sokimi Jnr, Hugo Nguyen, Te Pātuitanga Ahumoana a Kiwa (Te Patui) Jeff Dunlop and MFMR’s Mark Seda.
The training concluded Friday last week.
Source: Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources
