A six month assessment conducted by the Fisheries Ministry has revealed that Fiji’s coastal fisheries is depeleting.

Therefore, the Ministry along with assistance from China’s Guangdong province have undertaken a piloted aquaculture or sea farming project to revive it.

Minister, Semi Koroilevasau says conservation is now top priority for the Fisheries Ministry concentrating its efforts in inshore and costal fisheries.

“If we breed fish and other resources like shrimp and prawns then we will alleviate the pressure on costal and inshore fishing within the reef system. If we are able to develop aquaculture then we will have fish available.”

Chinese Ambassador to Fiji, Zhang Ping says a feasibility study is expected to be undertaken within the next two months to find out more.

“We still need to find what type of fishing products we are going to cultivate whether prawns, shrimp or coral fish – these are still left to be researched and identified.”

This initiative is also in line with the government’s voluntary commitment made in New York during the United Nations Oceans conference.