A draft Partnership Statement is now being developed with the tuna industry stakeholders that will guide further development of the industry.
The first Fiji Tuna Symposium co-organized by the Ministry of Fisheries with the Conservation International Fiji, Fishing Industry Association, and World Wildlife Fund had set the stage for collective action and ongoing collaboration to improve the efficiency of the tuna industry while emphasizing the triple bottom line of economic, environmental, and socially responsible development.
Ministry of Fisheries and Forests permanent secretary Atelaite Rokosuka said it was crucial that the Fiji Tuna Partnership Statement was endorsed at a national level through a high-level conference declaration.
Speaking at the closing of the two-day symposium on Wednesday, she said the outcomes from the Fiji Tuna Symposium would also feed into the vehicle to progress the Fiji’s national commitments to extending the effective management of its ocean resources and exploitation.
“Equally important is progressing the ocean management work to support Fiji’s national 30 per cent and 100 per cent sustainable management commitment as highlighted in the Fiji National Ocean Policy, Climate Change Act 2021, the Fiji National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2020-25 and other key national documents and frameworks,” said Ms Rokosuka.
“Among these are the increasing depletion of fisheries resources and associated by-catch and habitat impacts; the threats to marine biodiversity, including negative impacts of climate change and disasters; and the need to mainstream a rights-based approach and to promote greater recognition of gender issues within the sector.”
The Fiji Fishing Industry Association president Radhika Kumar said they remained “optimistic that the 2-day symposium has fostered robust pledges for collaboration in advancing Fiji’s tuna industry, we eagerly anticipate partnering with the Fiji government, Conservation International, and WWF to further develop the partnership statement in addressing the industry’s needs and have wide consultation on any potential policies in regards to the management policy for the marine ocean space”.
In a statement Conservation International senior director, Pacific Region, Susana Waiqanibete-Tuisese said the Fiji Tuna Partnership Statement served as a milestone for Fiji’s tuna fisheries sector, promoting the integration of policy and market based strategies to improve economic, environment and social performance of seafood production at jurisdictional scale.
