News

Tuna fishery an important contributor to the economy

February 27, 2019 5:10 am

Local tuna fisheries has earned international recognition as being the first long line tuna fishery in the world to be certified.

This has been certified sustainable under the Marine Stewardship Council certification for sustainability in 2012 and again in 2018.

Minister for Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau says the MSC certification gives international consumers in markets like Japan, USA, New Zealand, and Australia confidence that our tuna has been sourced from healthy well managed tuna stocks.

Article continues after advertisement

” While recognizing that Fiji is at the end trail of migrating tuna stocks, there is a growing international demand to responsibly harvested tuna. In saying that addressing the issue of by catch is an important to any fishing nation.” 

Koroilavesau says the Off Shore fishing sector has been the driver of Fiji’s fishery economy with its long line fleet being worth around US $60 million annually.