Vanuatu’s Parliamentary Secretary (PS) for Fisheries, Gracia Chadrack when he said the Government depends on media and journalist as mouthpiece of the country to investigate, educate and make people and public aware of the benefits of Tuna fisheries.
He made the comment when welcoming participants to the two-day “TUNAnomics’ workshop at Roomers Outricker conference room in Port Vila.
The workshop focuses on the economics of Tuna fisheries in Vanuatu.
Mr Chadrack said the tuna fisheries resource, which is the only largest natural resources that Vanuatu has with a total estimate catch of around 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes of fish per year on average, is a lot of fish to support processing industry locally.
The PS said it does not look good when our fish resources are being unloaded in other countries while we continue to face lack of industry development, unemployment, shortage of government revenue, shortage of fish to support food security and livelihood.
“We have experiences fishing industry development through the Palekula fishing based from 1957 to 1987, 30 years. During that time tuna fisheries was an important export commodity driving the economy of the country and the economy of Luganville and Santo”, he said.
The PS for Fisheries Chadrack encouraged journalists to see how past governments have initiated effort to redevelop this industry resulting in the agreement in 2004 and 2005 with the China National Fisheries Corporation to form the Sino-Van processing plan project. “The joint venture project required government to contribute wharf, land and building, wharf space has been an issue leading to lack of operation of Sino-Van in the last 7 years”.
Mr Chadrack also pointed out a dilemma caused by “a lot of unnecessary negativity about the plant on newspapers, social media”. This is because people do not understand tuna fishing industry. They do not understand the potential of developing the industry and economic benefits that can be derived from the industry”.
When emphasizing the need for people to be better informed, Mr Chadrack said the Government depends on media and journalist as mouthpiece of the country to investigate, educate and make people and public aware of the benefits. “Yes all developments have negative and positive side, and education is important for all stakeholders to do their part to make the factory work to serve the people of Vanuatu”.
He also encouraged the media to look at the fisheries department as one those shouldering the largest responsibility of managing fish resources inside 680,000 square kilometers of ocean and managing Vanuatu flag vessels in areas beyond national jurisdiction in international waters, high seas pockets and in the EEZ of other coastal states. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of Vanuatu is ocean and only 2% is land.
“Vanuatu is a member of many regional fisheries management organizations to allow its vessels to fish these regions including Western central pacific, Antarctic Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, Pacific Coast of north and South America, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean”, he told participants.
PS Chadrack also highlighted the achievements made by the fisheries department that must not be overlooked.
“In 2012, European Union issued yellow card to Vanuatu for failing to manage its flag fishing fleet. In response, progress has been made to come up with Revised Fisheries Act 2014, revised tuna management plan, other policies, strengthening of our vessel monitoring system which you will have a chance to visit tomorrow”.
Obviously there is still more work to be done, and the PS concluded that the department will continue to expand its staff to cover the huge responsibility it shoulders but at the same time, it will continue to need the support of media industry.
Journalists were also encouraged to be more objective in their reporting on tuna industry and to look beyond the information people are already accustomed with.
Sentiments of a possible “action plan” were also expressed between the Media Association President, Evelyne Toa and the Director of Fisheries to build on available networks in country and to support to get an in-depth picture of the economics of Tuna industry.
The TUNAnomics media workshop is facilitated by the Forum Fisheries Agency with assistance from the Vanuatu Fisheries Department and is held in preparation for the FFA Ministerial meeting next week in Port Vila.
Participants and facilitators of TUNAnomics workshop