WITH only a year remaining to complete submissions to the United Nations for claim on extra ocean space, Fiji has just completed a draft submission.
Foreign Affairs Maritime Affairs coordinating officer Luna Wong said in addition Fiji was reviewing data included in the submission.
Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga and Papua New Guinea have a claim to more than 1.5-million square kilometres of additional space beyond their 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.
These countries had only a year remaining to the May 2009 deadline to complete their submissions to the United Nations.
The countries' representatives are attending a week-long workshop being conducted by SOPAC, Geosciences Australia, at the South Cross Hotel in Suva.
Mr Wong said it was the first time the Pacific region was combining its efforts in the bid to extend exclusive economic zones.
He said in order for Fiji to complete the draft another survey would be carried out in the northern half of Fiji, including Rotuma.
"We need to update our records as the old survey was conducted around 1972," he said.
"One recent survey was done in 2005, which was carried out in the southern parts of Fiji in Ceva-i-ra.
"But we are intending to do a survey in the first week of July.
Mr Wong said in Fiji's case it could claim up to 77,000-square kilometres of ocean.
He said so far Australia was the only country to submit its claims to the United Nations and be awarded that claim of 2.5-million square kilometres of the ocean.
Mr Wong said Fiji along with other Pacific island countries were carrying out a week-long workshop in Suva this week on the country's submission on extended continental shelf (ECS).
South Pacific Geosciences Commission director Cristelle Pratt said Fiji and the countries had a credible claim.
She said countries were committed to working together to improve their lives in the pacific.
"Providing greater maritime sovereignty can provide increased revenue for pacific states and deliver significant economic and social benefits from access to ocean resources that occur on the seabed and within the subsoil," she said.