RMI fisheries-related officials toured the world-leading fisheries management program in the Seychelles in mid-July.
A team of RMI fisheries officials took a close-up tour of the commercial fisheries sector in the Seychelles last week to learn how it developed commercial fishing to be the second leading industry in the small island nation.
Seychelles main port is the biggest tuna-landing location in the Indian Ocean — one of the ways that Seychelles have similarity with Majuro, which is a significant tuna transshipment hub.
The Seychelles Fisheries Authority welcomed the high-level delegation from the RMI as part of a knowledge exchange visit under the FISH4ACP project, which supports the development of the tuna sector in the Marshall Islands.
The group was led by Natural Resources and Commerce Minister Tony Muller. The delegation included representatives from the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority, Majuro Atoll Local Government, the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation, Pacific International Inc., and Pacific Island Tuna Provisions.
During their visit, the delegation met with SFA’s management team and attended a presentation on the development of Seychelles’ tuna industry, highlighting the partnerships and systems that have helped establish Seychelles as a regional leader in sustainable tuna fisheries.
The delegation also toured the SFA’s aquaculture facilities to learn about Seychelles’ efforts to diversify its fisheries sector through sustainable aquaculture development.
Their visit concluded at Amirantes Fisheries Company, where they observed modern fish processing operations and were particularly impressed by the innovative use of by-catch, especially marlin, to create value-added products.
Transshipment and shoreside unloading of tuna was of particular interest to the RMI delegation since tuna transshipment is a focus of industry operations in Majuro. The delegation was expected to observe tuna landing operations, port infrastructure, fish processing facilities, and public-private partnership arrangements, while engaging with relevant stakeholders to gain practical insights into port efficiency, mechanized fish handling, and private sector participation.
The visit provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices as the Marshall Islands looks to strengthen its own tuna and by-catch industry, said the Seychelles Fisheries Authority in a social media post on he visit.
