Fisheries and aquaculture in Fiji: Present status, and future plans Presented by Aisake Batibasaga Ministry of Fisheries and Forests

OVERVIEW OF FISHERIES SECTOR – GDP VALUE ($M) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 GDP 105 131 119 151 133 137 GDP (%) 2.43 2.85 2.59 3.14 2.76 2.75 Export Earnings 93.41 96.74 103 134 156 206 Employment ~50,000 (including subsistence sector)

FISHERIES SECTOR - OFFSHORE Target species – Tuna (ALB, YFT, BET), Deepwater Snapper Total Allowable Catch:15,000 mt Actual catches : 13,850 mt Value: USD 67 million PROCESSING processors – 6 cannery – 2 domestic fleet - 132 employs : 1650 people

Inshore Fisheries Importance: Food security Protein and micro-nutrient uptake Subsistence Livelihoods and income generation

Subsistence catch 21,600 mt per year (Gillett and Lightfoot, 2001). 2008 Monte Carlo Model estimates: 18,186 mt per year (fish & invertebrates) 15,400 mt finfish No. of fishers: 25,700 Subsistence catch Value: USD 31 m Finfish: USD 21.3 m Invertebrates USD 9.7 m

Artisanal (Commercial) Fisheries Catch Finfish – 5,500 mt (US $25.2 m) Invertebrate: 1,200 mt (US $ 6.5 m) No. of Fishers: 22,650. Reef-associated species dominate 85% of total catch ~100 reef fish species 30 species - invertebrates

Beche-de-mer Markets High international demand High retail value: US$ 650 kg (HK) Price to fishers: $ FJ25- $11O kg Export value: FJ $21 mil in 2011. Exports fluctuate Management issues Minimal monitoring and enforcement Increased use of boats Use of SCUBA and hookah. Target other marine resources

Aquarium Trade Value @ over FD 25m Hard & soft corals Live rock (unsustainable, CITES quota) Aquarium fish

SPAWNING AGGREGATIONS Most reef fish aggregate to spawn Critical for fish stock replenishment x x x Tilagica passage 2005

Inshore fisheries challenges Resource depletion Degraded habitats - reduce fisheries productivity Increased demand - overfishing Better management More comprehensive MP Institute EAFM Basic data for indicators

Inshore fisheries Initiatives Management committees Implement actions at community and national level Marine protected area networks Locally managed marine areas are the focus Assess benefits and efficacy using indicator species Participation of communities in data collection Customary Marine Tenure and CBM Integrating local and national governance

FRESHWATER RESOURCES Kai Fishery 2600-3000 mt = 60-70% of total fw catch Mainly women 3 major rivers: Ba, Sigatoka & Rewa. Important for rural economy & food security Fresh water prawns Catch: ~10 mt Declines in harvest due to forest clearing and use of chemicals

Aquaculture Commodities for livelihoods Black pearls Seaweed Freshwater prawn Mud crab Giant clam Commodities for food security Tilapia Milkfish

AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION Commodity Tonnes per year Value (USD) Tilapia 160 217,000 Seaweed 135 71,000 FW prawns 20 350,000 Pearls 40,000 pieces 4.50 million Total 5.1 million (90% pearls) Livelihoods in aquaculture: 550

KEY FEATURES OF THE SECTOR Fish consumption 42 kg per person per year (national) 120 kg person per year (rural & islands) Total finfish production 45,000 mt = 30.8 % Offshore, 68.5 % Inshore, 0.7 % Aquaculture Areas Territorial Sea : 45,000 sq.km Archipelagic waters: 130, 400 sq. km Exclusive Economic Zone : 1,093,600 sq.km Total No. of i-Qoliqoli: 411 (31,000 sq.km)

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE Maintain or increase sector contribution to 3% of GDP, Cap inshore fisheries production at current levels Maintain tuna catches and improve proportion processed locally Aquaculture only potential area of expansion ?? – not being realized !

Plans for the futurE Improve management plans for all sectors Strengthen research capacity to assess the status of the resources Strengthen policy & economic planning framework Incorporate EAFM – ‘ridge to reef’ management

CONCLUDING REMARKS Need to implement management plans to : Improve capacity to manage the fisheries sectors Form stronger alliances/ partnerships to move management and conservation goals forward. Assess the effects of drivers on the sector, including climate change ‘How could climate change affect our plans?’

THANK YOU VINAKA