Fisheries to Expand Ice Plant Production to Coastal Communities
The Ministry of Fisheries is expanding its reach to more islands and for this new financial year, there is an additional financial allocation for the continuation of work on the construction of new ice plants on Koro Island, Lomaiviti and Wainigadru in Vanua Levu.
More exciting is the fact that in this financial year, the Ministry has allocated $100,000 to explore opportunities on the installation of solar powered ice plants in two pilot sites. Minister for Fisheries, Semi Koroilavesau says that this would certainly be in line with Government’s efforts in pursuing Oceans and Blue Economy initiatives which would set the trend in environment and oceans sustainability.
“We have to be on par with the changes in technology and be mindful of our environment as well. Two pilot sites, namely Rabi and Gau have been chosen and processes are now in motion to see that progress is made,” said Mr Koroilavesau.
Mr Koroilavesau added that with the two solar powered ice plants, the Ministry would establish environmentally sound and sustainable power systems for energy production and end-use.
“Fiji remains committed in ensuring that we work towards sustaining an eco-friendly environment and help in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 13 especially in emission reduction. The two pilot solar based ice plants certainly augers well with Government decision to phasing out diesel or power based Ice Plants and meeting obligations to reducing emissions by 2030.”
The preservation of food has certainly evolved over the years from the traditional smoking, drying, cooking, salting and pickling to proper storage in conducive spaces and proper facilities.
In the late 1960s, one of four key programmes of the fisheries sector known as the Commercial Artisanal Fisheries Development Programme introduced a government initiative termed the Rural Fisheries Ice Silo (RFIS) Programme.
Ice Silos
The programme was aimed at assisting rural fishermen and fishing cooperatives in the coastal communities of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and the maritime islands. The programme involved the deployment of Ice Silos at rural fishing collection bases, for example on Kia island in Macuatu, Kaba and Kiuva in Tailevu, Ogea and Fulaga in Lau, Naivilaca in Rewa, to name a few.
These Ice Silos served as a fish storage facility for the whole community or island, within a fishing area. Fisheries collections vessels such as FV Gonedau, FV Tavuto and FV Tuiniwasabula would then make scheduled trips to collect fish from the Ice Silos and transport them to the Lami Fish Depot, which were then later sold to market outlets. Over a period of time, the RFIS programme and fish collection model was deemed un
sustainable due to it being largely reliant on favourable weather and sea conditions. Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, Government forged a bilateral agreement through a Japanese Aid Programme with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to solve this impediment and further strengthen the Inshore Fisheries Development Programme.
The Japanese Aid Programme provided a complete package from supply of machine and equipment, construction, repair and maintenance, and capacity building of staff.
This assistance saw the phasing out of Ice Silos and the establishment of Ice Plants.
Ice Plants
To date the Ministry of Fisheries has a total of 29 Ice Plant machines located across the four geographical divisions in the country from the farthest northern island of Rotuma to the eastern islands of Lakeba, Cicia and Vanuabalavu, the southern island of Kadavu, and the western coast of Viti Levu. Ice supply to these fishing communities provides a longer shelf life for marine commodities and allows for proper fish handling. It also assists rural communities to maximise the commercial value on fish and other seafood products.
The Ministry has also been working closely over the years with the Overseas Fishery Cooperation of Japan (OFCF) since it established its office in Fiji in 1990.
The partnership is carried out through Technical Cooperation, promotion of exchange of visits of senior fishery personnel between Fiji and Japan as well as the secondment of fisheries experts to support the Ministry of Fisheries.
OFCF and the Ministry recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding which would see the start of Phase seven of their Fisheries Development Assistance for Pacific Islands Nations (FDAPIN).
Through the Technical Services Division, the Ministry makes certain that the ice plant machines are up and running and if glitches occur, a standby team is deployed to ensure that maintenance and repair works is carried out. The Ministry’s ultimate goal is to ensure minimal or zero break-down of the machines.
The sizes of the machines vary from 700 kilogramme capacity to five tonnes with varying production rates.
For smaller machines, ice produced is around 14.6 kilogramme every 15 minutes interval, whilst the bigger machines produce 24 to 26 kilogramme every 30 minutes interval. Production rates may also drop due to weather conditions and leakage of refrigerant gas.
Currently, ice plant machines are operating five days a week and a total of 2,000 litres of diesel is used every three months to keep the generator going for the 14 plants that have no grid electricity supply.
The Ministry is only charging 13 cents per kilogramme of ice to licensed fishers whilst non-license holders pay around 30 cents per kilogramme.
The Ministry continues to strengthen its relations with bilateral partners who have been assisting in supplying solar powered freezers for communities who cannot access ice plant services.
With the recent urban to rural drift due to COVID-19, the Ministry is aware that fishing activities have increased thus the need for proactive measures in assisting fishers in our rural and isolated coastal communities in earning food and income security.
Having the right capability and capacity to effectively service our customers is an integral part of the Ministry’s Strategic Development Plan.
The Ministry of Fisheries will continue to grow and strengthen its services to the people of Fiji and also ensure that no Fijian is left behind as we all move together into the ‘new normal’.