Source: Radio Australia
Kiribati will try and earn more from its tuna industry through a local processing facility scheduled to start later this year.
Foreign countries pay licensing fees to catch tuna off Kiribati, and those fees are currently the only income the country receives from tuna fishing.
President Anote Tong told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat the new processing facility will provide jobs and increase foreign exchange.
“Those who will be directly employed will be in the hundreds†he said.
“That is the beginning of the process because the amount of fish being caught in our waters is quite significant. The factory being built will process a very small amount initially and should that be successful, beyond that there really is no reason why we should not be able to multiply that by many factors.â€