The Cook Islands Ministry of Marine Resources is using licence revenue from foreign fishers to boost the country's domestic fishing industry.
The ministry has pledged more than 150 thousand US dollars from licence revenue to Cook Islands fishing clubs this year and its first allocation is to the parent body the Cook Islands Fishing Association.
The marine resources minister Teina Bishop says this is the first time that foreign licence revenue will directly benefit Cook Islands fishing communities and it demonstrates government's support for grassroots development.
Mr Bishop says money will be paid by treasury into a fisheries development facility being established by the ministry.