The National Fisheries Policy for 2024 to 2028 for the Ministry of Fisheries will ensure that the fisheries sector remains not only economically productive but also environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive.

Minister for Fisheries Alitia Bainivalu highlighted this during the launch of the policy, stating that key features of the policy include sustainability and growth, emphasizing sustainable fisheries management, food security, and climate resilience in line with the National Development Plan and vision of 2050.

The Fisheries Minister states that the new policy will focus on community engagement through community-based fisheries management.

“Economic growth, fostering innovation, private sector partnerships, and value-adding processes to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP, job creation, and exports. Climate change resilience, promoting practices that build resilience in coastal ecosystems and communities.”

Bainivalu stresses that the knowledge and traditions of our coastal communities are essential to this journey and the time for action is now.

She believes that our oceans and fisheries face mounting pressures from overfishing, climate change, and environmental degradation and every step we take today will determine the security and sustainability of our marine resources for future generations.

Senior Director, Fiji Program and Regional Fisheries Mere Lakeba notes that the policy is a key factor in terms of income generation and livelihood opportunities for the people.

“There is an element of environmental sustainability that is also equally important in terms of the economic viability of the work that we do as a whole in the fishery sector, and the significance of this launch validates a lot of the work that we have currently been working on in partnership with the tuna industry at a more small-scale fisheries.”

The Fisheries Minister is urging all Fijians to stand together and forge a path where our fisheries not only sustain us today but stand as a beacon of resilience and prosperity for all in the future.