Fiji to host tuna meet

ABOUT 200 guests are expected to partake in a Fiji tuna symposium next month.

The symposium, the first to be held in Fiji, is being organised with an overall aim to strengthen and streamline ongoing dialogue around sustainable livelihoods, employment, social responsibility, and value creation in Fiji’s domestic tuna sector.

And the organising committee for the symposium is led by Conservation International Fiji in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and a consortium of partners namely Fiji Fisheries Industry Association (FFIA) and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).

Conservation International senior director Pacific Susana Waqainabete Tuisese said the event aimed to provide a platform to highlight the existing benefits of the tuna industry to Fiji’s economy and its people.

“At the same time, the symposium will allow us to discuss economic, environment and social needs and opportunities within the industry to ensure continuity and sustainability of Fiji’s domestic tuna fleet,” Mrs Tuisese said.

“It must be noted that fisheries stakeholders and government ministries have been working for decades to improve the sustainability of the tuna industry and ensure they are being managed in a socially responsible way.

“This symposium adds to the on-going dialogue around managing tuna sustainably and identifying the economic, social and environmental needs of the industry and we look forward to riveting exchange during the two-day event,” she said.

The organising committee stated the event was an opportunity for attendees to exchange ideas and best practices on social responsibility and sustainability, while also absorbing the messaging on the importance of the tuna fishing industry for Fiji’s economy, environment and social well-being. “We look forward to engaging with stakeholders from across the country to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for tuna fisheries,” the committee stated.

Topics to be covered during the symposium include economic sustainability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility in the tuna fishing industry as well as innovative approaches to meeting emerging threats.

The symposium will be held from March 14 to 15 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.