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Emphasizing the need for sustainable management of marine resources, mainly focusing on tuna and collaborating with Pacific Island countries to develop comprehensive strategies are vital.

This has been highlighted by the Senior Director of Fiji program and Regional Fisheries Mere Lakeba during the launch of Phase 2: Implementing and Scaling Jurisdictional Initiatives for Pacific Tuna.

Pacific Island nations advocate for sustainable tuna management, prioritizing ocean resource protection.

Lakeba has again stressed the need for collective action to support fisheries initiatives.

“Conservation international are key strategies in our Pacific work and also looking at opportunities to support countries in the Pacific in terms of fisheries and there are certain commodities that we have identified Tuna of which one is that is similar to in terms of the ambition for our Pacific Island countries.”

She emphasized integrating national and regional efforts to implement the initiative effectively.

“Opportunities to create and co-develop a fisheries Pacific strategy specifically for Tuna for conservational international and how we can implement existing regional organization and national government efforts.”

Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Micheal, stresses the joint responsibility to safeguard the ocean and its resources.

“As we are aware Pacific Island countries have the largest exclusive economic zones and therefore are in the forefront that international regional and national forums to raise and advocate approaches to addressing this issues, it is therefore our joint responsibility to safeguard our ocean and our resources.”

The collaborative efforts between Pacific Island nations and other stakeholders highlight the collective commitment to sustainable tuna management and protecting marine ecosystems.