Fiji is making notable progress in securing a stable supply of tuna as Fisheries Minister Alitia Bainivalu provided updates on ongoing discussions with Pacific neighbors such as Kiribati and Tuvalu. These countries are key members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), which governs approximately 60 percent of the tuna supply in the western and central Pacific, underscoring the importance of these negotiations for Fiji’s fishing industry.
In response to a question from Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya, Bainivalu emphasized that the negotiations aim to create advantageous access agreements for Fiji-flagged vessels. Significant strides have already been made in formalizing arrangements for fish processing at the Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) located in Levuka. Key meetings have taken place with Kiribati’s Fisheries Minister in Niue and Tuvalu’s Head of Fisheries in Suva to enhance terms for tuna access and processing.
Additionally, Fiji is extending its collaboration with two regional fisheries management organizations: the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). These partnerships are designed to position Fiji’s longline fleet to explore new fishing grounds, particularly crucial as projections anticipate a shift in tuna biomass distribution towards eastern and northern waters by 2050.
Efforts are also underway to establish a Tuna Processing Hub in collaboration with the Forum Fisheries Agency. This initiative aims to enhance local processing capabilities, ensuring that regional tuna catch is processed within Fiji rather than overseas. However, this will require improvements to port facilities and support for the PAFCO plant.
Fiji is further taking part in the East New Britain Initiative, which seeks to unlock investment opportunities for tuna processing and marketing. Bainivalu noted the importance of securing adequate funding, stressing the need for sustainable financial solutions that will modernize Fiji’s tuna fleet and bolster its position in the global market.
The Minister reiterated a commitment to strengthening Fiji’s status as a tuna processing hub and to improving supply chain efficiency for PAFCO. The ongoing efforts reflect the government’s dedication to regional collaboration and to creating investment pathways that will uplift the socioeconomic prospects of Fiji’s tuna industry. This focus on sustainability and cooperation is a hopeful sign for the future, offering potential benefits for not only the fishing sector but for Fiji’s broader economic recovery and growth in the region.