[ Source: Ministry of Fisheries / Facebook ]

Fiji and Kiribati have launched a new aquaculture partnership focused on sandfish development.

The move comes as Pacific island countries step up efforts to strengthen food security, climate resilience, and sustainable ocean management.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Fisheries and the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources of Kiribati.

It establishes cooperation on sandfish broodstock transfer, hatchery development, and scientific exchange. Fiji will supply 150 adult sandfish to support Kiribati’s national aquaculture program.

Presenting the agreement in Parliament, the Fisheries Minister Alitia Bainivalu said the partnership reflects a major step in regional ocean governance.

“This framework establishes a vital foundation for regional scientific diplomacy, allowing us to co-manage our shared tuna stocks, expand fisheries trade, and pioneer integrated ocean governance.”

Bainivalu described it as more than a technical arrangement. He said it is grounded in collective stewardship of marine resources across the Blue Pacific.

The Minister told Parliament the ocean is not a boundary for Pacific peoples. It is identity, culture, and economic survival.

Pacific countries, Bainivalu states cannot manage marine resources in isolation, and they must work together to address shared climate and biodiversity pressures.

Under the agreement, Fiji will source broodstock from verified resilient wild populations.

The stock will undergo a mandatory two-week quarantine at the Tingarrow Research Station and Hatchery.

This is to ensure disease-free transfer and compliance with international aquatic health standards.

The Tingarrow facility will play a central role in the program. It houses Fiji’s controlled breeding systems, larval production capacity, biosecurity measures, and live feed operations. These systems form the technical backbone of the cooperation.

A recent visit by Kiribati fisheries officials helped shape the agreement. The delegation observed hatchery operations in Fiji. They also took part in technical discussions on broodstock conditioning and aquaculture systems. Officials said the visit strengthened practical cooperation between the two countries.

Bainivalu said Fiji’s investment in aquaculture infrastructure has positioned it as a regional centre for marine science.

It said the partnership reflects growing confidence in Fiji’s technical capacity and research capability.

Beyond sandfish farming, the agreement sets out wider cooperation.

This includes joint research, technical training, monitoring and surveillance systems, and ecosystem-based fisheries management.

In response, Opposition MP Semi Koroilavesau supported the new Fiji–Kiribati sandfish aquaculture agreement. He also highlighted long-standing fisheries cooperation between the two countries.

Thus, he raised concerns about the past overharvesting of marine resources.

Koroilavesau described Kiribati as an important partner in regional fisheries diplomacy.

The Opposition MP adds that both countries rely heavily on marine resources for their economies and livelihoods.