Fish pact on the cards

Cabinet has agreed that potential areas of supportive collaboration be explored between the Ministry of Fisheries and their Kiribati counterparts.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told a media conference yesterday that Kiribati was resource-rich especially in fisheries.

“Fiji will pursue possible collaboration with the Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in the promotion of fishing ventures between the two countries; post-harvest, fish processing development and marketing, including training, joint research and development, joint fisheries conservation and management, and fisheries infrastructure development, just to name a few,” he said.

“The potential areas of co-operation will be formalised via a MOU between our Fiji Ministry of Fisheries, and the Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

“Once the two agencies have confirmed the terms of the MOU, it will be tabled in Cabinet for a decision.”

Mr Rabuka also highlighted that as a chain of 33 low-lying atoll islands, Kiribati was highly vulnerable to natural disasters, impacts of climate change and other natural and man-made factors.