Page 19 - IB April 2018

ing programme was developed by PNA and
Foodstream Ltd, an Australian food tech-
nology company, to support island-based
entrepreneurs establish micro-canning
operations in the PNA nations that meet
international safety standards and produce
locally canned, nutritious food products.
Micro-canning operations can help gener-
ate rural employment opportunities, as well
as contribute to local economic develop-
ment and foreign exchange savings and
food security.
Micro-canning is a low tech process in-
volving packing raw fish in a can, manually
Fish with a story seaming the can lid to seal in all the nutri-
tion, and then using a gas burner to sterilise
and cook the canned fish in a high pressure
retort at 121°C (250°F) under high pres-
Palau goes for micro-canning sure (15 PSI). This cooks the fish in its own
juices to produce a full flavoured product
that is commercially sterile, highly nutritious
and of a high quality, that can be stored
By Maurice Brownjohn for a training workshop held in 2017 indefinitely. Analysis by an accred-
features a traditional storyboard de- ited laboratory in Australia found
Sandwiched between the Philippines and picting the Ngibtal or Breadfruit Tree that tuna canned this way had
the Federated States of Micronesia, rising Legend which explains the origin of 3-5 times the omega oil content
from the deep blue Pacific Ocean, sit the Palau’s bountiful marine resources. of regular canned tuna. Another
200 or so limestone and volcanic islands By value adding, artisanal fishers benefit of micro-canning is that it
that make up the idyllic paradise of Palau. are not only diversifying their source of allows for products to be tailored to
It is a land of beauty above and below the income, but also actively marketing and suit local taste. Packing in coconut oil or in
water, teeming with wildlife, welcoming promoting Palau’s rich environment and fresh coconut milk has proved very popular
people, and a rich history - Palau is a veri- cultural heritage. Just as Fiji has Fiji Water, to date.
table tourist dream. Palauan fishers are giving tourists the op- The Palauan Fishing Cooperatives are not
It should come as no surprise then, that portunity to take a small, sustainable (and targeting the local population, instead their
tourism is the primary economic driver. But edible) piece of the Palauan seascape home market is the scores of tourists that flock
while Palau is renowned for her underwater with them. to Palau every year – predominantly from
wonders, champagne beaches and rich cul- In July last year, a formal retort supervi- Asia, with a willingness to pay a premium
tural offerings, the country has also estab- sor training workshop was held in Koror for quality seafood and desire to take a piece
lished herself at the regional and global level for participants from local fishing coopera- of their holiday home with them.
as a smart ocean state: a small island nation tives (Northern Reef Fisheries Cooperative, Palau’s rich cultural history and pristine
taking pride in being a leader in ocean con- Peleliu Fisheries Cooperative), a local fish natural environment provide an abundance
servation. farmer, government departments and the of marketing gold and a competitive advan-
Ironically for a region that produces the local community. The training was held with tage that Palauan Fishing Cooperatives are
majority of the tuna canned in the world, support from the Palauan Bureau of Marine banking on to sell their canned fish. It also
imported canned tuna is one of the main Resources, The Nature Conservancy, and helps that the product is highly nutritious
sources of protein in the Pacific islands. Pa- sponsored by Pacifical-MSC, the marketing and tastes great too.
lauans are looking to buck this trend, one arm of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement
can at a time. (PNA). Maurice Brownjohn is the Commercial
Palauan village fishers are up-skilling, The specialised retort supervisor train- Manager of PNA.
with the help of a micro-canning training
initiative, in order to add value to their ar-
tisanal catches and create a premium shelf
stable seafood product that offers tourists a
healthy memento of their time in Palau. This
memento is in the form of a can of locally
caught and locally canned tuna – very much
“fish with a story”. A trial label developed A trial label depicting a Ngibtal Legend story board developed for the Northern Reef Fisheries Cooperative.

Islands Business, April 2018 19