Government, through its Fisheries Department, aims to implement a management plan to ensure sustainability of fish stocks for subsistence and commercial development.
Minister for Fisheries, Mr Inia Seruiratu said implementing development programmes will bring about much needed services and income security to the rural communities while preserving the environment and its biodiversity.
“The development programme is aimed at prioritizing issues in order to develop a management plan that improves the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to food security and poverty alleviation while preserving environmental services and biodiversity,” Mr Seruiratu said.
“These include the issuance of licenses, aquaculture projects, fish and seaweed farming, fish processing, pearl oyster spat collection, fresh water pond culture and fish aggregation device.”
“There is a need to concentrate, develop and expand aquaculture commodities while at the same time regulate fishing activities for sustainable resource management and therefore growing our economy in a sustainable manner is very critical not only to the Government but to every Fijian,” Mr Seruiratu added.
Mr Seruiratu said that the low tuna, shark, beach-de-mer and other harvests from the sea have been a result of over exploitation, illegal fishing activities, destructive methods and overfishing.
“And while Government tries to ensure economic growth, it is very mindful of the sustainability of our natural resources,” Mr Seruiratu said.
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