New Ohakea-based Poseidon aircraft cuts teeth in Pacific fisheries mission

The RNZAF's new P-8A Poseidon fleet has started working in its intended role, taking part in a large-scale Pacific fisheries surveillance operation. Photo / Cpl Rachel Pugh

An Ohakea-based Poseidon aircraft has been involved in a multinational fisheries surveillance operation for the Pacific’s Forum Fisheries Agency.

Four P-8A Poseidons based at Ohakea Air Base in Manawatū are the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) newest aircraft, replacing the P-3K2 Orions which served the RNZAF for nearly 60 years.

One of the new aircraft was part of Operation Island Chief, a 12-day operation covering 18.2 million square kilometres of Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) member nations’ exclusive economic zones and high seas, the RNZAF said in a statement.

It involved nearly 350 personnel from multinational agencies, including navy, maritime police, air force and national fisheries bodies.

New Zealand, Australia, France and the United States provided aerial and surface surveillance support, with three ships, five aircraft and advanced remote sensing detection technology employed.

The Poseidon flew a total of just over 44 hours, covering around 1.8 million square kilometres of ocean. The crew reported the activities and positions of 68 vessels to the FFA.

Participation in the operation was part of the overall operational release of the new Poseidon aircraft fleet and the continuation of developing the capability.

Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour, said the operation was a pleasing collaboration of nations and agencies, with a common goal.

“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing threatens sustainable fisheries and the security and economy of our Pacific neighbourhood,” he said.

“The FFA has four significant surveillance operations each year and we are proud to commit to those, as well as support Pacific nations with separate requests for fisheries patrols, in order to protect that neighbourhood.”

As well as agencies from the FFA member nations, the operation also utilised the maritime surveillance capabilities and data intelligence analysis of Global Fishing Watch, International Monitoring Control and Surveillance Network, Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection system, the United States HawkEye 360 system (supported by the Australian Government), Starboard Maritime Intelligence system, Pacific Transnational Crime Network and the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.