FIJI’S Ministry of Fisheries will be looking to improve seven key areas such as sustainable fisheries, climate change mitigation and adaptation and aquaculture.
While speaking at the Ministerial Assignment, Priorities and Performance Framework meeting at the Holiday Inn Conference Centre in Suva, Minister for Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau continued to encourage his senior officers to continue to put in the hard work in order to deliver the services required of the ministry.
“There will be huge challenges in the coming months, which can easily be overcome if everyone works together,” Mr Koroilavesau said.
He said now that they had the capacity as a fully-fledged ministry, he again reminded the officers on the need to work hard with the resources available to them.
Mr Korolaivesau said they looked to strengthen their aquaculture sector and create more awareness in order for farmers to start their own Tilapia, prawn and shrimp farms.
“This will also put off some of the pressure that is currently being placed in our reef systems and overfishing,” he said.
“We will also be strengthening our Fishermen Associations around the country and also introduce new forms of fishing using Fishing Aggregate Devices (FAD’s). With our associations, we will be able to co-ordinate catch data collection and they will also be our eyes and ears on the ground.”
He said a stock assessment would be carried out in qoliqoli waters across coastal communities in order to ensure that the ministry had data on stocks of various species within our waters.
“We will continue with the seasonal ban on high-value commodities and we will be carrying out extensive awareness in our communities over the coming months,” he said.
Mr Koroilavesau believes the ministry will continue to do its part in working with key stakeholders in order to ensure the fisheries sector continues to grow.
