New idea touted to rapidly restore food security
Quoting Radio New Zealand 19 September 2019
An expert in Pacific fisheries and climate change is touting a proactive way for countries like Vanuatu to rapidly restore food security after disasters.
Johann Bell from NGO Conservation International said when Cyclone Pam tore through Vanuatu in 2015 it took 18 months to restore significant fishing.
That was because its coastal Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) were destroyed, he said.
The NGO has teamed up with the Vanuatu fishing authority to fill two disaster proof containers with FADs materials so the large scale tuna lures can be restored following a cyclone.
People could be fishing again about three weeks after a disaster, Dr Bell said.
His idea is for more of the containers to deployed around the Pacific by the New Zealand and Australian defence forces.
"They have both got naval vessels dedicated to humanitarian relief," he said.
"I think it would be wonderful in a future exercise in the region if Australia and New Zealand could cooperate to use these vessels to transport these shipping containers to the region."
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