On 2 May, World Tuna Day, relevant stakeholders in the Tuna Industry in the SI gathered to mark the celebration of the occasion aimed at reflecting on the importance of Tuna to individuals.
The World Tuna Day falls on May 2 every year after the United Nations passed a resolution to recognize and celebrate this important Oceania resource “Tuna’ in their General Assembly Meeting in 2016.”
The Minister supervising for the Ministry of Fisheries Marine Resources Frederick Kologeto delivered a key note address
“World Tuna day is a day we stop and reflect on the importance of Tuna to all of us. Accordingly, my ministry with all stakeholders celebrates this year’s World Tuna day with the Tuna our priced national asset.
“Today as we reflect and commemorate this day, let me reassure our good people of Solomon Islands that as a Ministry, our commitments to the development of tuna fisheries as well as our commitments towards the sustainable management of our tuna resources remain our highest priority.
“This because, it is my Ministry’s belief that with a sustainable resource, we will continue to benefit from the use of this resources as food on our table, as a cash crop to meet our family socioeconomic needs and as an export commodity to support the needs of our country,” Mr. Kologeto said.
He added that collectively it remains everybody’s duty to ensure that people receive maximum economic and social benefits from the country’s tuna resources.
Allan Rahari Director Fisheries Operations, Forum Fisheries Agency said World Tuna Day was an opportunity to acknowledge and mark the importance of Tuna to the people.
“We are reminded that the importance of protecting these resources, Tuna supports regional food security, employment and economic development and promoted national GDP indeed economic resilience the Pacific Tuna fisheries in particular is important during the challenges in unprecedented times,” Mr. Rahari said.
Source. Island Sun newspaper.
Footnote
About142 tonnes of fish stocks worth around $2.4 billion (USD$306 million) were caught in Solomon Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
