Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries ministers are to meet virtually from tomorrow with the impact of Covid-19 on the tuna fishery at the top of the agenda.
20445954 - a yellowfin tuna fish with a hook in its mouth from fishing Photo: ftlaudgirl/123RF
The ministers will consider how to sustain the livelihood of observers, given that they have been kept off purse seiners because of the coronavirus.
The director general of the Forum Fisheries Agency, Manu Tupou-Roosen, said the pandemic had significantly affected fishing, particularly its monitoring, control and surveillance.
However the pandemic had helped the sector to recognise the value of improving broadband capabilities in the region, Dr Tupou-Roosen said
Member countries see an opportunity to invest in technology, with a range of flow-on benefits for time and cost savings, she said.