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Tuna industry stakeholders met this week for their first discussion on Vanuatu’s National Tuna Industry Strategy.
The strategy which covers 2021-2030 aims to address the issues of large-scale fishing as well as small-scale (artisanal fishers) targeting tuna to limit existing gaps.
The Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries, and Biosecurity Moses Amos said 91% of large-scale tuna vessels fishing in Vanuatu waters land their fish at overseas port and only 9% land their catch locally and they are based off in the country.
Total production for all vessels in Vanuatu waters in 2020 amounts to 8,796MT valued at 2.9billion vatu.
The country’s direct benefit from the value of its fish is only 7% and this is through annual fishing licenses which amounts to 210 million Vatu.
With regards to small scale fishers, there is a need to build capacity in terms of employment opportunities, moving fishers to bigger boats, value chain of tuna that is linked to the market, and finding ways to address high cost of fishing operation hence high fuel prices.
These are the challenges and at the same time missed opportunities for Vanuatu.
There was a good turnout at the first consultation and positive critics to the draft presented which demonstrate the significance of this multimillion vatu renewable resource.
Way forward is to collect all comments and have them incorporated into the draft before the next validation workshop.
Due to the significance of tuna and urgency of completing this strategy, it is anticipated that the draft will be finalized for approval within the next two months (September).
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