News

News updates from the Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources.

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Kiribati Advances Tuna Fisheries Priorities at FFC

The 142nd session of the Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) was held in Wellington, New Zealand, from May 11–15, 2026. Kiribati was represented by the Secretary, the Director of the Oceanic Fisheries Division, and the Senior Compliance Officer of the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources (MFOR). MFOR’s participation in this annual FFC session is essential for voicing Kiribati’s priorities in the arrangements and decisions of this key regional organization governing tuna fisheries. Kiribati contributed to ongoing reform policies led by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Secretariat, provided input into the new FFA Strategic Plan, requested an assessment of the current Pacific Islands–U.S. treaty, and advocated for a nationalized approach to tuna value chain processes and related investments, among other issues. Several of these critical discussions will be advanced to the FFC Ministerial meeting later in June, also in Wellington, NZ, for further deliberation and collective decision-making. MFOR acknowledges the FFA Secretariat for its continued support to Kiribati in this area and extends its appreciation for the funding assistance that enabled the participation of Kiribati and the wider FFA membership in these regional discussions.

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Protecting Kiribati Waters

The Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources (MFOR), representing the Government of Kiribati, was honored to host a high-level delegation from the United States Embassy this week.
Following their attendance at the Wa Forum (May 6th–7th, 2026), the U.S. delegation extended their stay to engage in strategic bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation. The meetings provided a critical platform to explore collaborative efforts across three primary pillars:
• Marine Scientific Research (MSR): Strengthening global knowledge sharing and streamlining MSR application processes.
• Deep-Sea Minerals (DSM): Identifying potential technical support and sustainable frameworks for mineral activity standards.
• IUU Fishing: Leveraging U.S. technological solutions to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing, ensuring the protection of sovereign waters and national food security.
• Engaging the Marawa Board to deliberate on strategic partnership opportunities for the advancement of deep-sea mineral exploration.
𝘒𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘪 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵.
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Practical Fisheries Training

The Coastal Fisheries Training and Information Unit (TIU) team successfully returned on 1 May, from a mission to Kiritimati Island conducted from 21 April to 1 May 2026.
This activity is one of CFD, MFOR’s 100 Days Priorities: launching milkfish deboning products developed by private sector partners with support from the Coastal Fisheries Division.
The mission was successfully completed with strong participation and support from private sector stakeholders, particularly restaurants and hotels in Kiritimati. The program included practical training on milkfish deboning techniques, followed by a launching event marking the adoption of this value-adding approach by stakeholders.
Participants carried out their own milkfish deboning and showcased a variety of cooked (value added) deboned milkfish recipes during the event. While mastering the technique requires time and practice, participants were able to learn all the important steps involved in the deboning process.
This initiative creates exciting opportunities for income generation and improved livelihoods in Kiritimati, particularly for private sector businesses and the wider community. By adding value to milkfish products through deboning, stakeholders can attract greater customer interest and demand while providing a safer, more convenient, and enjoyable product for tourists, children, and the elderly.
CFD sincerely acknowledges and appreciates the financial support provided through the PROP and Ridge to Reef (R2R) Projects, which contributed to the successful implementation of this activity.
Sincere gratitude is also extended to all stakeholders including the LINNIX and participants whose active involvement helped make the mission a success.
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Onotoa Fisheries Consultation

A 5- day trip to Onotoa concluded yesterday with the team from the Planning and Development Division, MFOR with a follow up discussions on fisheries projects with the Onotoa Island Council. The visit is purposely to discuss with the Mayor, Island Clerk and IDO from Onotoa on fisheries projects. The trip convened from the 5th May- 10th April, 2026 as a follow up consultation with Onotoa Island council on the new project to address the new establishment of a potential project for the Satellite fish center at Tabuarorae.
The project is part of the request to the Government to establish a new satellite center to be built at Tabuarorae village. The Ministry recognized the importance of this project in supporting livelihood diversification and providing cold storage systems to ensure safe and quality fisheries products. As part of the project, it is important to clear on the land acquisition which requires further follow with the island council. The team also has the opportunity to carry out a site visit to the proposed site, monitoring visit to the current fish center at Buraitan and follow up on the various projects implemented by the Ministry as part of the Outer island Monitoring and Evaluation work on fisheries projects. The Ministry acknowledges the support of the PROP WB for making this trip a successful for the PDD team to carry out this important assignment.
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