Tuna: In Demand
Concerns were raised in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on how viable the Tuna industry is in Fiji.
This came after the committee queried the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Shaheen Ali on the Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) Annual Report 2015.
Mr Ali while making submissions yesterday at Parliament said there has been a decrease in the supply of Tuna to PAFCO over the years from key suppliers.
However, the local company based in Levuka is the largest supplier for Bumble Bee. One of the largest branded seafood company, Bumble Bee is headquartered in the United States of America.
Opposition Member of Parliament Viliame Gavoka questioned whether Fiji was exploring opportunities to be part of the Parties to Nauru Agreement (PNA).
Mr Ali said: “We understand the scenario as far as the trade agreement goes, or the Melanesian Spearhead Group trade agreement or the Interim Economic Partnership Agreement. “Tuna or fish in general has been given a lot of emphasis.”
Mr Ali told the committee members that Fiji was not part of the Parties to Nauru Agreement because it was a very close-knit group of Pacific countries that are major players in the tuna fisheries industry.
The Parties to the Nauru Agreement control the world’s largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery. PNA members are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Mr Gavoka said it would be good if Fiji was part of such influential groups because it would help the Tuna, fishing industry and the economy.
Meanwhile, Opposition MP Prem Singh queried if there were opportunities being explored to exchange commodities apart from tuna. Mr Ali said: “The negotiations from EU were that all other products aside from sugar and fish are to be duty free for the Pacific countries and African countries but the terms were contentious and the rules of origin apply. “There has been instances in Chile where people have bought fish products thinking its from the Fijian waters due to the branding of the products, but that was not the case.
“We need to be more mindful about the rules of origin about the location of the catch as the quality does not match the locality of the product.”
Rules of origin are important with regards to trade bills as Tuna is migratory and it is denoted by the flag of the ships for Tuna. Committee chair Lorna Eden said: “Balancing sustainability with fish harvest is very important and we must keep up with this balance.”