Govt maintains ownership of Minerva reef after Tongan EEZ violations

The Fiji government maintains its stand that the Minerva Reef is inside Fiji's Exclusive Economic Zone as determined by the geographical coordinates.

This followed the presence of the Tongan Navy boats within Fiji’s Zone at Minerva Reef which the Fiji government had raised concerns on in a statement issued earlier this week.

The Tonga government has claimed that the reef belongs to them and had started building a navigational beacon in the area.  

However, the Fiji Government stated that it will look into what actions to take according to the Marine Spaces Act.

According to Fiji Authorities, Fiji is a party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on The Law of the Sea and that it has complied with the requirements of article 75 of the Convention.

Article 75 section(2) of the Convention reads that the coastal state shall give due publicity to such charts or lists of geographical coordinates and shall deposit a copy of each such chart or list with the Secretary General of the UN.


Story by: Sofaia Koroitanoa