Kuria Island is known for its diverse reef fish, prized for their tender and oily meat. The island has recently started supplying reef fish to CPPL in Tarawa, which then exports them overseas. To ensure the fish are safe and free from ciguatoxins, the Kiribati Seafood Verification Division, in collaboration with the Seafood Toxicology Laboratory Division and the Coastal Fisheries Division, visited Kuria to investigate and respond to concerns over ciguatera poisoning.

Working with the Island Council, CPPL, and local fishers, the team collected samples of commonly consumed reef fish from various fishing grounds. These will be analysed at a laboratory in New Zealand, with results to support risk assessments and guide future mitigation strategies. The Ministry gratefully acknowledges the World Bank’s support through the PROP and sincerely thanks the Island Council, CPPL, and local fishers for their cooperation and contributions.