A special Pacific Islands Fisheries Ministerial dialogue was held in Kokopo, East New Britain Province, on the commitment of Fisheries Ministers of certain Pacific Island countries agreeing to achieve Forum Leaders vision in the 2050 strategy by leveraging their shared tuna resources.
Ministers from Palau, Solomon Islands and 14 other Pacific Island countries including Australia and New Zealand attended the dialogue with the main purpose to discuss a proposal by the PNG government to encourage a collective and coordinated approach to the development of regional fisheries hubs and for the establishment of a regional fisheries development fund.
Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Jelta Wong said the dialogue is a testament of the Pacific Islands region’s commitment to the sustainable management of tuna and other straddling and highly migratory fish stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.
“My fellow ministers, it is incumbent on how to consider developing new strategies or development options that are geared towards encouraging deeper and a more holistic cooperation amongst ourselves by harnessing the unique strength each of us possess,” Wong said.
“Hence, a careful look at the global value chain of tuna comes to mind, and the need to empower the meaningful participation of all Pacific Island countries can be the best starting point.”
The Ministers agreed on working together and taking advantage of their shared tuna resources to find viably inclusive investment initiatives and pathways in the regional tuna chain and resolved to present this statement to the Pacific Islands Forum leaders when they meet in November.
SOURCE: POST COURIER/PACNEWS
