Written by MFOR Media on 03 March 2025.
The team from Geoscience Division, Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources participated in the GIS Training on Shoreline Change and Vegetation Mapping, expertly conducted by Technical Advisor Mr. Dough Ramsay in collaboration with KOIRAP.This training empowers our Geoscience team with advanced GIS skills to better understand coastal dynamics and enhance environmental management. A big thank you to Mr. Ramsay and the Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs, through its project KOIRAP for their invaluable support and knowledge-sharing! Let us keep driving sustainable solutions for our beautiful shores!
The team from the Forum Fisheries Agency has successfully completed an internal audit on the Oceanic Fisheries Division’s Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) capability. The audit comes after a request from Kiribati to the Forum Fisheries Agency at the 135th Forum Fisheries Committee to assess the capacity of the national MCS facilities to meet the requirements under the 2024-2029 Regional MCS Strategy. The assessment confirms that the Oceanic Fisheries Division is meeting the requirements outlined in the Regional MCS Strategy, reinforcing Kiribati’s commitment to sustainable and well-managed oceanic fisheries. This achievement highlights the nation’s ongoing efforts to protect its valuable marine resources while ensuring compliance with regional and international standards. The Ministry acknowledges the ongoing support from the FFA Secretariat particularly the FFA MCS Team.
The Honourable Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ribanataake Tiwau led the Kiribati delegation (which comprised of MFOR and MFAI) convened from the 26 to 27 February in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The Honiara Summit, the high-level event on sustainable fisheries hosted by the Government of Solomon Islands, brought together Leaders and Ministers of Fisheries from the Pacific Islands. This high-level event was a platform to discuss matters of great importance on fisheries science, management, development in terms of their challenges and opportunities. Hon Minister Ribanataake delivered national remarks, engaged in several bilateral meetings with development partners, governments of Pacific Island Countries such as New Zealand, PNG, Solomon Is, Cook Is, the EU, World Bank; and gave a keynote opening remarks in one of the side events on monitoring, control and surveillance. Several new deals and arrangements were discussed including opportunities for greater cooperation that are targeted to further the development of the fisheries sector in Kiribati. The Leaders outcome of this Honiara summit will be advocated to the third session of the UN Ocean Conference to be convened by France in June 2025. The government acknowledged the Government of the Solomon Islands, the Forum Fisheries Agency, regional organizations and the various partners for their support to Kiribati’s engagements in this Summit.
A community consultation led by the Kiribati Seafood Verification Division of the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources and other relevant stakeholders, was held on February 25, 2025, with one of the fishing communities in South Tarawa as part of the preparatory work for the Fish Vending Unit Project, funded by the European Union. This new initiative is being piloted in Teaoraereke West during its trial phase to enhance the safety and quality of fish and fishery products. This work is possible through the funding support of the EU Sector Support Project and the stakeholders involved in this project.
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