Participants urged to use forum data

 FIJI’s DeputySecretary for Fisheries and Forest Sanaila Naqali has challenged participants of the 2015 Pacific Tuna Forum to put to good use the wealth of information they have gained from the forum.

During closing of the two-day forum on Wednesday, Naqali said so much has be said and it was now up to the participants to make use of the information gained so the island states within the region could benefit from their tuna resource.

“The fisher folks have spoken, the consumers have said how they would like to see their tuna presented to them, the producers have said what they would like to see done so that they can sustain their operations, and our importers have shown to us what our tuna caught in our region are made into when we don’t have the capacity. But yet we are still being told there are still a lot of investment opportunities.

“Before you leave Fiji, what are you taking back with you from this forum? What we are going to do so that we can achieve optimal economic benefits from the development of our tuna.

“What have you decided to take back from this forum that will help this region from the resource and sustainably manage and develop what we have?

“Please make use of the forum, be meaningful and challenge yourself to do so that we can keep on having tuna that is affordable,” he said.

National Fisheries Authority Managing Director John Kasu said the forum was a success.

“It is a forum that everyone in the industry had an opportunity to share concerns and issues that are within the sector and we’ll be able to work together.”