The Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office (PNAO) is seeking the services of a Consultancy Team to carry out an independent review of the VDS. It is envisaged that the review will be carried out by a fisheries specialist team of 2-3 experts from outside the region with expertise in rights-based management systems. The consultants will be short listed by a three-person steering committee nominated by Palau Arrangement Participants. The PNA Office will work with this international consultant team to ensure they have access to all necessary papers and reports.

• Based on preliminary figures (and revised data), Aug saw increases in overall purse seine fishing effort and total catch, while the overall catch rate slightly decreased. Fleet concentration remained heaviest in the west as ENSO-neutral conditions continued.
• Overall effort rose 15% to 3,972 days in Aug with highest concentration in KI, PG and FM accounting for 79%. Overall fishing intensity in EEZs increased by 12% while intensity in HS showed an increase of 71%. Preliminary data in Sep showed similar concentration as in Aug being heaviest in PG, KI, and FM.