Samoa has opened Operation Ika Moana 2025, a regional maritime security operation that brings together Pacific patrol vessels, crews, and observers to protect ocean resources, combat illegal fishing, and strengthen cooperation at sea.
The opening ceremony in Apia on Monday 11 August 2025 was attended by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa, Fr. Mikaele Matā‘afā, Cabinet Ministers, Australian High Commissioner Will Robinson, members of the Diplomatic Corps, commanding officers, and crews of Guardian Class Patrol Boats from across the region.
On behalf of the Government and people of Samoa, the Prime Minister welcomed delegations from the Royal Fiji Navy Ship Savenaca, His Majesty’s Armed Forces Patrol Boat VOEA Ngahau Siliva of Tonga, the Republic of Kiribati Ship Teanoai II, the Cook Islands Police Patrol Boat Te Kukupa II, and the Tuvalu Guardian Class Pacific Patrol Boat Te Matai II. Observer delegations came from Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.
Operation Ika Moana is part of the Pacific Maritime Security Program, an Australian-supported initiative that coordinates regional sea patrols, surveillance, and enforcement to safeguard the Pacific Ocean. Participating nations conduct joint patrols, share information, and carry out coordinated exercises to address threats such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, transnational crimes at sea including smuggling and trafficking, and environmental and resource exploitation. The programme reflects the belief that no single Pacific nation can face these challenges alone, requiring a united approach to keep the region’s waters safe, secure, and sustainable.
The 2025 operation will see five patrol vessels and their crews, along with observers, working across designated Pacific maritime zones to protect fisheries and marine resources through coordinated patrols and surveillance, enhance interoperability among Pacific maritime forces through joint exercises and crew exchanges, and strengthen partnerships with regional and international agencies to ensure sustainable management of the ocean.
The Prime Minister commended the professionalism, courage, and dedication of all maritime forces taking part, acknowledging the Samoa Police, Prisons and Corrections Services for leading the operation’s organisation with support from regional partners. She also recognised the contributions of the US Coast Guard, Austal, and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency.
“Our ocean is our shared heritage, responsibility, and lifeline,” she said. “Through collective effort, regional solidarity, and mutual trust, we are stronger together in safeguarding our Blue Pacific Continent.”
Operation Ika Moana 2025 is now officially underway, with participating crews beginning joint patrols aimed at ensuring the security and sustainability of the Pacific Ocean for future generations.
Background
This article is based on the keynote address by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa at the Official Opening Ceremony of Operation Ika Moana 2025, with details drawn from the speech published on the Government of Samoa’s official Facebook page.
