French frigate Vendemiaire, moored in Sydney Harbour. This 20 knot ship of the Floréal class looks a lot like a coast guard cutter. Photo by Saberwyn

Sea Waves reports the completion of a multi-national Fisheries Management exercise involving the US, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Fiji, from 20 June to 15 August.

The US Coast Guard deployed a C-130 to participate in the exercise. US vessels were involved but they were not identified. I am a bit surprised I have seen nothing from the USCG on this exercise.

The Sea Waves report appears to be a French news release. There is a New Zealand Defense Force view of the exercise here.

More on the developing relationship between Australia and France here. including an explanation of the “Pacific quadrilateral defense coordinating group* (PQUAD),” e.g., Australia, France, New Zealand, and the US, referred to in the post, as opposed to the “Quad,” e.g., Australia, India, Japan, and the US.

The French don’t normally have a lot of military assets in the Pacific. Much of what they have looks like coast guard, but they have the largest EEZ in the world and great strategic geography.

French Exclusive Economic Zone. Photo credit: B1mbo via Wikipedia.

This exercise is another step along the way to what appears to be inevitable international fisheries management and enforcement.