Tokelau loses nearly two-thirds of revenue after fisheries pact expulsion
Tokelau has lost more than 60 percent of its fishing revenue between February and June, according to New Zealand officials, following its expulsion from a key Pacific fisheries agreement.
In February to June, Tokelau experienced a decline of more than 60% in its fishing revenue, following its removal from a significant Pacific fisheries agreement. This self-governing territory had relied on offshore fisheries as its sole source of independent income. The loss of this revenue has led to a revision of Tokelau's government budget and increased dependency on New Zealand's monetary assistance.
New Zealand has allocated $138 million for Tokelau between June 2024 and 2027, despite not accounting for the revenue loss. Despite New Zealand's lobbying efforts, readmission to the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS) of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) remains uncertain. Concerns have arisen regarding New Zealand's influence on Tokelauan fisheries. PNA officials, though regretful, have expressed no clear path to re-admission.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Pacific's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
