Kreetika Kumar 
[Source: NOAA Fisheries]
The offshore fishing sector is the third-largest economic earner for natural resources.
Marine-based activities thematic group chair Susana Tuisese says the sector is one of the stimulating factors for growth by providing employment opportunities to almost 20,000 people.
Tuisese says the fishing sector consists of three subsectors, which include inshore, offshore, and aquaculture.
According to the chair, there are hardly any domestic vessels with foreign flags landing fish on the shores.
“Fiji has consistently tried in the tuna industry space to cap the licenses at 60, and there has been effort to support the industry, access financing by increasing the length of the financing from one year to twenty years.”
Tuisese says raw material supply is also an issue that needs to be addressed.
She adds that there is a need to seriously help PAFCO to ensure their mill efficiency is up to par.
According to Tuisese, there is an urgent need to improve efficiency along the value chain.
The group has also suggested tax incentives for local fishing companies’ investments in larger vessels to fish.
