Forum discusses vital tuna issues

THE 7th Pacific Tuna Forum (PTF) held in Port Moresby last week saw industry experts discuss issues essential to the tuna industry in the Pacific, an official says.
Infofish director Shirlene Anthonysamy said the forum was a platform for industry experts in the region to gather and highlight issues affecting them including climate change, social responsibility and accountability, markets, resources and supply and technological improvements.
“We take very seriously every feedback and comment that we receive at every forum,” she said.
“That’s how we change and make progress in the types of topics discussed and new topics that are essential for the industry.”
Anthonysamy said one of the new topics discussed at the forum was the issue of climate change affecting the Pacific tuna industry.
The Pacific Tuna Forum is an initiative of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) that started in 2007.
It creates a platform for the Pacific tuna industry to bring together its players and stakeholders to not only to discuss the opportunities, but the challenges and issues faced by them.
The forum was co-organised by the PNG Government, Infofish, and the NFA.
“The topics of discussion has changed quite substantially. When we (first) started, the programme covered a lot of issues within the Pacific,” Anthonysamy said.
“We are now including a lot of global issues and agenda such as the US, the European Union and Latin American markets. In terms of markets, we are also covering global issues and how the Pacific can benefit from these markets.”
She said other topics included social responsibility and social accountability which were now discussed frequently not only in the Pacific region but globally.
“In terms of development in technology and technological aspects of tuna, we are also including opportunities for financing for the industry and how the industry can benefit from that aspect,” she said.
“Specific to this forum is resources and supply.
“We also have a session by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on the projection side of production trends.”