In a press Statement the Fiji Ministry of Fisheries & Forests recognizes that the Fiji tuna long line fishing industries for the fresh fish market is going through some very difficult times at present. Fiji Minister for Fisheries and Forests, Hon. K.T. Yabaki has released a statement in which he also states that tuna purse seine fishing is environmentally unfriendly and should be controlled, minimized or completely banned from the Western and Central Pacific:
In my consultation with some representatives in the fishing industry, over the past weeks, here have been reports of low fish catches in our Fiji waters.
There have also been reports of companies losing hundreds of thousands of dollars of the past six months of this year.
The low fish catch now reported could be due largely to two major factors, environmental (weather) and over fishing.
We cannot control the situation on the weather, but we should look more closely at factors within our powers to control. We have therefore decided to implement, in the light of the current policies, the following:
1.- There will be a temporary cessation of fishing licenses issued whilst the Ministry is reviewing the appropriate number of licenses for Fiji.
2.- There is going to be an immediate review of the tuna management plan, with a view to establishing the right number of fishing vessels to fish in Fiji waters, and the total allowable catch. We expect the results of this review to be available before year-end.
3.- Only fishing vessels that are licensed in Fiji and foreign fishing vessels that are registered with good standing with the Forum Fisheries Agency are allowed to offload their fish catch in Fiji.
4.- Vessels under the category known as illegal, Unregulated and Unregistered fishing vessels will not be allowed to offload their catch in any ports in Fiji.
5.- An investigation will be done as soon as possible on allegations that have been reported to me regarding foreign fishing vessel owners operating here in Fiji under bogus charter and joint venture arrangements using locals as front men.
We also with to note the following:
That the fishery resources (yellow fin tuna and Bigeye) that are caught here in Fiji are highly migratory, and move across our part of the world, in the Western and Central Pacific.
Fishing done in other Pacific Island nations also affects what is caught here in Fiji and also affects our own local fishing industry.
This Ministry will be vigorously pursuing matters at regional and international levels on the concern of the Fiji fishing industry particularly on purse seine fishing activity that is on the increase here in the region.
Fiji is of the view that purse seine fishing is environmentally unfriendly and should be controlled, minimized or completely banned from the Western and Central Pacific. This type of fishing is killing most marine living organisms including juvenile tuna fish and its excessive use in the region is detrimental to our healthy tuna stocks, and to our local industry.
Governmental policy on the participation of indigenous people in this industry will stand and its success would very much depend on the resource, which is being affected now.
Fiji Minister for Fisheries and Forests, Hon. K.T. Yabaki