FSM's Lt. Commander David attends tuna "detectives" training by FFA and USP, Suva

FSMIS (February 25, 2014): The Federated States of Micronesia National Police Maritime Surveillance Unit Lieutenant Commander Kodak David is returning home today after attending the fifth Pacific Islands Fisheries Evidence and Investigation Training Course (FETIC) in Suva, Fiji.

The 2014 FETIC course was attended by twenty-two participants from member countries in the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), including the Cook Islands, FSM, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

According to an FFA news release, the FETIC 2014 trainers were FFA Legal Advisor Pio Manoa and FFA Surveillance Operation Officer Peter Graham, joined by staff of the School of Marine Studies at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Suva. A Senior Crime Scene Investigator and staff from the Police Studies unit of the USP also provided training assistance.

FFA also reported:

The regional fisheries training course is competency based, building the required technical knowledge and expertise for Fisheries Inspectors, Investigators and Enforcement officers enabling them to work more effectively. The three-week study and training schedule helps them boost management of their national marine resources; identify offences in fisheries legislation; grow their understanding of evidence required for criminal prosecutions, and plan more effective investigations.

 

The FETIC training ended on February 21 and was made possible through funding contributions from Australia and the European Union funded DevFish II project.

 

In December 2013, the FSM Department of Justice selected Lt. Commander David as the 2013"employee of the year" for the department, earning the recognition award presented by President Manny Mori at the President's Conference Room on December 30.  

 

Information request on the FETIC training course can be directed to the FFA through its Media Officer, Ms. Lisa Williams-Lahari. Her email is lisa.williams-lahari@ffa.int.