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

2. 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)

3. 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
employs : 1650 people

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

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

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

11. 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

12. FRESHWATER RESOURCES Kai Fishery
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

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

14. 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

15. 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)

16. 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 !

17. 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

18. 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?’

19. THANK YOU
VINAKA