Reported Allegation of Marine Discharge At Pohnpei Anchorage

 PUBLIC NOTICE

REPORTED ALLEGATION OF MARINE DISCHARGE AT POHNPEI ANCHORAGE

The National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA) wishes to inform the public that it is reviewing a reported allegation of a possible marine discharge involving a foreign flagged fishing vessel at the Pohnpei Anchorage area.

Between April 24 and 27, 2026, NORMA received an anonymous report and video footage alleging the discharge of a substance appearing to be oil at the Anchorage area. The reported incident alleged to have occurred on April 18, 2026.

At this stage, the exact nature and source of the reported discharge remain unknown and unconfirmed.

As the Authority responsible for the management and regulation of commercial fishing vessels operating within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the FSM, NORMA, together with the Pohnpei Port Authority (PPA) and the vessel's local agent, conducted a boarding and inspection of the vessel on April 27, 2026. There was no visible evidence  of a discharge in or around the vessel was observed at the time of the inspection.

During the inspection process,  representatives of the vessel denied any unlawful discharge and provided relevant vessel reports and records for review and verification.

NORMA continues to work collaboratively with Pohnpei Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA), the lead agency responsible for environmental pollution matters within the State’s internal waters, as well as with other relevant authorities, to assess the source, nature and the circumstances surrounding the reported allegation.

NORMA remains committed to protecting the marine environment of the FSM and will continue coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the matter is properly assessed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

NORMA further encourages the public to continue reporting suspected marine pollution incidents and other activities that may threaten the marine environment. Public reporting and cooperation play an important role in supporting environmental protection, monitoring, and enforcement efforts to safeguard FSM’s invaluable marine resources.

For further inquiries or to report incidents, please contact:

The Compliance Division at the National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA) at