Students at the SINU Department of Fisheries were privileged to hear from one of the worldโs leading authorities on fisheries law, Emeritus Professor Martin Tsamenyi on Wednesday 12 March, who delivered a thought-provoking lecture on the โChallenges of Sustaining Fisheries.โ
Emeritus Professor Tsamenyiโs presentation provided critical insights into the urgent need for sustainable fisheries management, highlighting the threats posed by overexploitation, destructive fishing technologies, pollution, and the mismatch between legal frameworks and biological realities. He stressed the importance of international cooperation, policy innovation, and responsible governance to secure the future of the worldโs fisheries resources.
His extensive experience and contributions to the field made this a rare and invaluable learning opportunity for SINU students. A legal scholar of global repute, Professor Tsamenyi has played an instrumental role in shaping fisheries law and ocean governance worldwide. He has advised numerous international organisations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), and served as Legal Counsel for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
Emeritus Professor Tsamenyi holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Ghana, a Master of International Law, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the Australian National University. He was the founding Director of the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) at the University of Wollongong, which is now the worldโs largest ocean law and policy research institute. His scholarly contributions include seven books and over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles on fisheries law and ocean governance.
Notably, Professor Tsamenyi has had a profound influence on the Vice Chancellor of SINU, Professor Transform Aqorau, having been his PhD supervisor at the University of Wollongong. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in shaping Professor Aqorauโs academic foundation, having taught him Law of the Sea, International Law, and International Air and Space Law at the undergraduate level.
Speaking on this momentous occasion, Professor Transform Aqorau stated,”Welcoming my mentor and PhD supervisor, Emeritus Professor Martin Tsamenyi, to speak at SINU has been one of my proudest and most emotional moments as Vice Chancellor. It is a rare privilege to be in a position to host someone who has been instrumental in shaping oneโs academic and professional journey. His presence at SINU underlines the value of lifelong mentorship and the importance of passing on knowledge to future generations of fisheries professionals in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific.”
The SINU community deeply appreciates Professor Tsamenyiโs visit, which serves as an inspiration for students and faculty alike. His lecture reinforced the urgent need for a paradigm shift in fisheries governanceโemphasising that fish are not just โmy fishโ or โyour fish,โ but โour fish,โ requiring collaborative stewardship across borders and generations.
END///////////
-SINU Press Release
