COMMANDER of Fiji Navy Captain Timoci Natuva says Fiji needs more patrol boats to strengthen surveillance and maintain a stronger presence across the country’s vast maritime borders.
He said Fiji Navy currently operated only two patrol boats and relied heavily on other surveillance resources, including aerial assets and satellites, to monitor Fiji’s waters.
“Our water is vast. We have two patrol boats. But we have to use other assets at our disposal. We use aerial assets, we use satellites,” Captain Natuva said.
“But what’s important is the passing of information, like the essence of information, intelligence, so that we can provide interdiction when required.”
“We are trying to work with our partners, but definitely as a wish it’s something we need to have going on into the future.”
He also raised concerns about “dark vessels” — ships operating without activating their Automatic Identification System (AIS), making them difficult to track.
“That remains a concern.”
He said the navy continued to monitor such vessels through aerial surveillance and cooperation with local and regional partners.
“So, we will fly, use the aerial surveillance to investigate. We liaise with our partners both nationally and at the regional level.
