Fisheries

Tonga’s Royal Trade show to return after 3 years

The break was due to the Covid-19 and the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai volcano and subsequent tsunamis.

A statement said this year’s theme will be 'Recovering from Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai'.

Ministry of Agriculture’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Viliami Manu said, “It will showcase the hard work of farmers, fishermen tradesmen and local businesses, and also recognize and award them for their hard work and resilience of overcoming what has been a tough couple years, after the natural disasters.”

Pacific’s missed opportunity at Oceans Conference

Instead, the final Call to Action adopted by leaders the first UN Oceans conference in June ‘continues to perpetuate the myth that we are weak and small and need to be treated differently’.
 
Dr Aqorau, who is a former CEO of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), said Pacific and other Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) need to change this mindset because the current myth of smallness and we need special help is ‘undermining’ the value of their natural capital.
 

Solomon Islands fish exporters to benefit from new project

The project, which runs from June 2017 to May 2020, is being led by the FAO, with a total budget of US$508,336.

The FAO is also providing in-kind support to the project alongside the government and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA), backed by Australia and New Zealand.

Support will help the National Public Health Laboratory to achieve ISO 17025 certification, which is required for fish exports to access the EU market.

NZ and China to co-operate more over fish and development

The deals were signed in Wellington as part of the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to New Zealand.

New Zealand Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, said these arrangements would strengthen and expand the co-operation with China even further.

He said New Zealand and China were committed to protecting sustainable fish stocks in the Pacific, and both support efforts to combat illegal fishing.

French Polynesia encourage to train fishermen in NZ

He has been leading a delegation to the French territory this week.

Views were exchanged on industrial fisheries and fish farming, with a focus on the cultivation of grouper and mackerel.

Mr Jones spoke of his desire for a partnership in the fisheries sector and in maritime training in which he says New Zealand has long-standing know-how.

 

Photo: supplied  Shane Jones led NZ delegation in French Polynesia 

MSC recertification for PNA's tuna fishery

A third party independent auditor, Acoura Marine, has been contracted by the PNA to undertake the reassessment.

Pacifical c.v., the global tuna marketing company jointly set up by eight PNA countries in 2011 to promote its MSC certified sustainably caught tuna, said that the process should go smoothly and that deliveries of Pacifical MSC tuna will continue uninterrupted through 2017.

US frustrates Pacific countries with fishing deal reversal

During August negotiations, the US fleets demanded extra fishing days, despite needing less than expected in 2015.

Pacific nations complied with the request and signed the deal, worth more than USD 68 million.

American Samoa Governor says US must protest fishing zone

Lolo Moliga has asked the US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to reject the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council's resolution to allow longliners access.

If the council's resolution is approved it would temporarily allow vessels of 15 metres or longer to fish within 20 kilometres of the territory's shores.

At the moment the area up to 80 kilometres offshore is reserved for alia fishing.

Tuna stakeholders looking for balance in the Pacific

Stakeholders from all over the world are in Fiji this week to talk about the challenges facing the Pacific Tuna Industry.

The Chief Executive of the Pacific Tuna Industry Association, Tima Tepou says having all stakeholders at the same table has resulted in frank discussions on what different parties want for the future of the industry.

NZ has a lot to learn about Pacific Tuna: PNA

Dr Aqorau was responding to a New Zealand-led push at the Pacific Islands Forum to help shift the region away from daily catches via the Vessel Day Scheme.

The scheme has brought rising incomes to PNA countries but New Zealand says advances in technology and bigger fishing boats are resulting in larger catches which could render the scheme unsustainable.

Dr Aqorau says the only areas in which unsustainable catches are occurring are those outside the control of its Vessel Day Scheme.