New Zealand Boosts Support for Pacific Fisheries

Wellington (ANTARA) - New Zealand announced on Tuesday an increase in funding and support for Pacific fisheries, with the aim of enhancing economic revenue from tuna and strengthening regional sustainability efforts.

The Pacific region supplies more than half of the world’s traded tuna but does not always receive fair benefits, stated New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in a statement.

New Zealand Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones announced increased funding for the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) during the opening of the 25th Ministerial Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, which marks the first time the country has hosted the meeting in 18 years.

New Zealand’s additional support will assist the FFA in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, building national capacity, and ensuring the long-term sustainability and integrity of the region’s fishery resources, Jones said.

New Zealand will also support the Pacific Islands Tuna Venture Programme, which encourages the utilisation of higher-value tuna, including converting previously discarded tuna by-products into pet food, fertiliser, and other food products, the statement noted.

Jones remarked that fisheries are vital to many Pacific economies and food security, stating that widely distributed tuna stocks require coordinated regional management.