The Pacific European Union Marine Partnership was launched yesterday in New Caledonia.
The EU has allocated €35 million and Sweden €10 million for the five year programme that seeks to improve economic, social and environmental benefits from fisheries for the 15 Pacific countries involved.
The programme is being implemented by four regional agencies including the Pacific Community.
The community’s Lindsay Chapman said Sweden’s contribution to the programme targeted a gender and human rights-based approach to fisheries management.
“So we’re trying to get gender balance in there when it comes to financing small projects,” Mr Lindsay said.
“So through work that we’re doing we’re trying to remove barriers so that women have an equal footing if they want to get into fisheries they can, if they want to get financing they can.”
