A recent meeting held between the EU and Solomon Islands representatives concluded that the European bloc would support the Bina Harbor Tuna Processing Plant project. EU’s newly designated Ambassador to the Solomon Islands, Barbara Plinkert, met Rexon Ramofafia, the Minister for National Planning and Development Coordination of Solomon Islands on October 31. They discussed various topics including the much-anticipated project that aligns with the Pacific Island nation government’s “push for transformative economic infrastructure development,” reported Solomon Island news sites.

Ramofafia said that Bina Harbor will be the country’s second major tuna processing plant initiative and his government expects it to kick-start by 2027. He explained: “With the EU being a significant importer of our tuna products, this project holds strategic importance for us, particularly given that it targets one of the Solomon Islands’ largest provinces.” The project is expected to require an investment of up to USD 200 million. Several nations such as the US, China, Australia, and New Zealand are anticipated to team up with the Solomon Islands to make this a reality.

Representatives from Pacific Island nations recently met for the regional Integrated Ocean Management (IOM) workshop in Nadi, Fiji. The main objective of IOM was to reinforce the commitment of the countries, with tuna-rich EEZs, to effectively and sustainably manage the Pacific Ocean in line with international laws.

Pacific Ocean Commissioner, Filimon Manoni, emphasized the importance of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific. This Strategy intends to move this region towards greater resiliency from the risk of climate, geopolitical, security, and other eventualities. Manoni said: “This workshop is a vital opportunity for us to work together to achieve our shared vision for the Pacific Ocean by 2050. By coordinating our efforts and learning from each other, we can ensure a healthy and prosperous ocean for generations to come.” IOM was an initiative of the EU-funded Pacific Solutions for Integrated Ocean Management Project, implemented by SPC, the principal scientific and technical organization in the region.

The US Department of Labor recently stated that Thai pet food, fish meal, and fish oil products that are manufactured from tuna and other seafood have been identified to come from “potential child labor and forced labor risks.” Several Thai pet food products were blacklisted following the ‘2024 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor’ report published in September.

The Thai government quickly appointed a task force to look into the details and ensure that blacklisted products will be removed from the list soon. The team’s task is to ensure that the production processes comply with global labor guidelines, combat labor abuses, and uphold ethical standards to protect the industry’s reputation and retain access to the American market, reported Thai news sites. The Thai Pet Food Trade Association (TPFA) and the Thai Tuna Industry Association are also involved in the newly established task force. The US is the largest market for Thai pet food. The Asian country exported 19,600 M/T of pet food to the US in H1 2024, more than what was sent in the first half of 2022 and 2023.