A campaign to highlight the challenges faced by small-scale fisheries in the Pacific has been launched by the United Nations and the Pacific community.
The International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Pacific campaign or IYAFA is still in the planning stage and was formally launched during a virtual conference.
Food Agriculture Organisation consultant Mele Tauti told the conference that IYAFA's objective was to raise the voice of Pacific farmers and fishermen.
"We're aiming to raise awareness, strengthen policy and decision making processes were supported by relevant scientific evidence," Tauti said.
Photo: Rafael Ben-Ari
"This will help empower our communities, our fishers, our fish farmers to help them ensure their efforts are indeed sustainable for future generations. And of course we are looking to building new and existing partnerships to help bring it all together," she said.
A Fijian fish farmer told conference delegates that climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic were severely impacting fish farming in Fiji.
Arun Lata said flooding has become frequent in Fiji.
"Due to climate change and this pandemic, I've faced a lot of challenges. Before there used to be one flood in five to six years, now there is two to three floods in one year. So this is due to the climate change, before it didn't happen," she said.
The International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Pacific is a year-long campaign.