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Fiji's Marine Resources at Risk, says Minister

Water quality Sustainability Politics +3 more

FIJI - Fiji's marine and coastal resources are at critical risk because of climate change, said Minister for Fisheries Osea Naiqamu.

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He said these were also significant in terms of Fiji's social and economic development, reports FijiTimes.

Mr Naiqamu said there was also a need to concentrate and expand the trade in aquaculture commodities.

"Seaweed farming is currently undertaken for rapid developments which require low technology and low capital inputs, however provide quick returns," he said.

"Other aquaculture projects like fish, prawn, sandfish (dairo), giant clams and black-lip pearl provide women lucrative income at village level.

"For rural communities, it is a good source of protein and requires simple culturing techniques and can be fed on locally available materials like scraped coconut, cooked cassava scraps and leftover food.

"These are just feed supplements as tilapia will naturally feed on the algae growing in the pond."

Mr Naiqamu said reforms were in place to improve land and marine tenure such as water leasing to provide incentives for aquaculture projects such as seaweed and pearl farming.

"Government is committed to empower the communities at large through the provisions of various support services," he said. "This is to improve their livelihoods through sustainable utilisation of fisheries commodities for food and nutrition security moreover improves their standards on living."