Addressing fisheries in the Pacific islands

One of the Pacific islands’ biggest and potentially most lucrative resources is fisheries. The region is yet to leverage the industry to its full commercial advantage. Many extraneous players and countries from outside the region benefit from Pacific fisheries far more than the islands themselves due to poor infrastructure, lack of economies of scale, corruption in ministries and departments dealing with fisheries and maritime resources in the islands and poor policing of illegal fishing among others.

Last month a meeting on Pacific fisheries took place in Auckland, seeking to shine light on the challenges the fisheries and maritime live resources sector faces. Expert presenters also discussed the existing and emerging opportunities that could be tapped to sustainably grow the industry in the region.

The Fisheries Forum 2012, with the theme “Hand in Hand, Investing Beyond Our Shore”, brought together industry leaders from across the Pacific islands region and New Zealand to discuss future partnership opportunities. Speakers at the event discussed many of the problems and challenges that have existed in the region, some of which have been addressed collectively and singly by countries, and others that continue to fester because of a variety of reasons.

Read more: Islands Business