Page 27 - IB MAR 2017

Fisheries
Fisheries
Fiji chases tuna across the Pacific

FIJIAN diplomats are making good prog-
ress on negotiations with Tuvalu and
Kiribati for access to valuable fishing
grounds in the Northern Pacific.
A proposed three-phase plan includes
a Fiji-based-and-owned long line fleet
to boost supply to Fijian canneries
and create employment at home and
throughout the region. ‘
Fisheries Minister, Commander Semi
Koroilavesau, confirmed he had held ... hopefully
discussions with senior officials in
Kiribati, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna. we can
“We want to follow the tuna on its bring in
migratory route for six months of the
year,” Koroilavesau told Islands Busi- investment
ness.
“To do that Fiji will need access to the - even from
north – through Wallis, up to Tuvalu and locals - to
Kiribati and we’ll also need access to the
west near the Solomon Islands, Papua create a
New Guinea and Vanuatu.”
Koroilavesau has laid the groundwork Fiji fleet ...
through his personal contacts with
senior fisheries officials in Tuvalu and ‘
Kiribati.
But it will be for foreign affairs of-
ficials from the three countries to put - Commander Semi
together agreements acceptable to their Koroilavesau
political masters.
It is understood that the Solomon Is-
lands has been reluctant to allow access shore as well as on the boats,” he said. sustainability of the industry and growth
to Fiji-flagged long liners as it wants to “Hopefully we can bring in investment of Pacific economies.
protect supply to its cannery at Noro on – even from locals – to create a Fiji fleet.” These sentiments were echoed by
New Georgia. Fiji had a successful pole and line in- Morris Brownjohn, Commercial Manager
But Fiji’s discussions with Vanuatu dustry in the 1970s and early 1980s but of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement
have had better results. this was put out of business by South – an alliance of eight Pacific countries.
Koroilavesau said a vibrant Fijian Korean and later Chinese-flagged long PNA controls around 50 per cent of the
long line fisheries sector would benefit line fleets based in Suva. global supply of skipjack tuna.
Fiji, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Melanesian Today Chinese companies operate Brown john suggested that Pacific na-
Spearhead Group members. long line vessels out of Suva and into tions must look at ownership or renting
“There is no reason our long line ves- the Pacific. of fishing boats as an option to the cur-
sels cannot supply neighbouring coun- Koroilavesau said local fleet owner- rent system of selling licences.
tries and help create employment on ship was an important step towards q Invictus News and Features Service

n From PAGE 26 Chinese ban is largely concerned with fish in the world’s oceans but not its
operations within its territorial waters. own coastal waters.
Moreover, subsidies do not appear The new policy recognises that sus- In a case which reeks of hypocrisy,
to be affected by the new policies - tainable fisheries is not possible with- this global giant has turned up the heat
Greenpeace argues many Chinese DWF out some serious changes – reduction on home operators while appearing
fisheries would go bankrupt without in vessel numbers, control over fishing blind to the distress of small Pacific
them. areas, the removal of unfair subsidies. states.
China has stopped publishing data But the announced cap on wild fish The obvious question is this: Has
on its subsidies, because of pressure catch in China’s coastal waters and China really made a decisive policy
from the WTO to reduce them. inland freshwater ways does not affect change by announcing its fleet re-
But before there are any Pacific DWF catch. duction or is this yet another empty
celebrations, it must be noted that the China’s DWF fleet remains free to gesture?

Islands Business, March 2017 27