Riya Mala 
There are ongoing discussions to increase the tuna supply to Pacific Fishing Company Pte Limited on Ovalau Island.
Minister for Fisheries, Alitia Bainivalu, briefed members of Parliament on the negotiations currently taking place.
She adds that PAFCO plans to launch both longliner and purse seine vessels, with offshore fishing licenses being discussed to allow operations in the Exclusive Economic Zones.
Minister for Fisheries, Alitia Bainivalu.
Opposition Member of Parliament Faiyaz Koya sought clarification on what the government is doing to boost the tuna supply to PAFCO.
“So I think that was the question, and that was relative to my question about labelling. Will they be labelled as Fiji fish, or as fish caught elsewhere if the rules of origin are relaxed and fish is offloaded at PAFCO?”
Minister Bainivalu says progress has been made, with the most recent discussions held in July.
“The discussions aim to secure favourable access agreements for Fiji-flagged vessels to fish within the EEZ, utilising the preferential vessel day scheme and access to fishing areas. In addition, agreements are being formalised to lend fish from these EEZs for processing at the PAFCO plant in Levuka.”
She adds that Tuvalu and Kiribati have expressed interest. Both are members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, a pact of eight countries that control between 25 to 35 percent of the world’s tuna supply.
Bainivalu also highlighted that the Ministry is working with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency to strengthen Fiji’s role as a regional tuna processing hub.
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