New Zealand is looking at extending its Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme in Vanuatu to include the fisheries sector.
RNZI reports the extension followed a pilot project in Tuvalu and Kiribati providing jobs for trained fishermen to work on New Zealand's fishing boats.
Director of Fisheries in Vanuatu, Kalo Paloa, said his government planned to establish a training programme to help workers meet the requirements for recruitment into the sector.
Mr Pakoa said the training program was a priority for the government.
"The government would like to open up employment opportunities to assist with the increasing unemployment in our young population. So in the next one and half years we are thinking of having all our systems in place to start producing qualified seafarers," Kalo Pakoa said.
RSE worker offloads apples into a crate in a Hawke's Bay orchard. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades