Written by MFOR Media on 24 April 2025.
Taking care of coastal fish resources is a key focus for the Coastal Fisheries Division of the MFOR. Two officers from the Research and Monitoring Unit of the Coastal Fisheries Division have just returned from Aranuka Island, where they conducted surveys and collected important data on fisheries activities such as the types of fishing methods used, fishing locations, species caught, and catch numbers. This information is valuable for supporting strategies aimed at the effective monitoring and sustainable management of coastal fisheries resources on the island. The trip took place from 1st to 8th April 2025. A big thank you to PROP for funding and supporting this important activity.
Written by MFOR Media on 09 April 2025.
Kiribati is moving forward to realize her vision of becoming a fishing nation in the Blue Pacific Continent. Today, the Honourable Minister Ribanataake Tiwau and his MFOR team, paid a visit to a brand-new purse seine vessel named, Maribo 61. This vessel was owned by the Government of Kiribati and its Chinese shareholders through their Joint Venture Companies. This domestic purse seine vessel is among 6 other purse vessels that are fully owned by the joint venture companies and are currently operational. The name ‘Maribo’ came from the Kiribati language, which literally means industrious, hardworking, healthy, and fit for purpose. The Maribo 61 purse seine vessel was built in China in 2024, and contained state of the art equipment, an outstanding living condition of the crews and a storage capacity of 1,200 ton. Minister and his team also witnessed the unloading of their first catch which reaches the full capacity of the vessel. Some of the catch caught in this first fishing trip of Maribo 61 will be processed and distributed to the communities of Kiribati to emulate the Kiribati culture called, Kakimoaan te kokona. In our Kiribati’s culture, we believe that if you share the first catch of your new canoe/boat to your communities and friends, your boat and future fishing trips will receive tons of blessings and catch in the future. Minister Tiwau bestowed his traditional blessings to the Captain/Fishing Master, the crews and the Maribo 61 boat in their future fishing endeavors. The MFOR acknowledge our joint venture shareholders for believing in our arrangement and continue to pursue the journey of becoming a fishing nation to maximize more benefits from our tuna resources for the people of Kiribati.
The team from Coastal Fisheries Division (CFD) has now gained more skills in fisheries monitoring methods and community engagement after attending a week-long regional workshop in Vanuatu. This training will help CFD carry out their work more effectively, as they can now apply improved techniques in data collection, reporting, and the use of digital tools like Ikasavea and TAILS. These enhanced capabilities are important for Kiribati to strengthen and upgrade our coastal fisheries data, supporting sustainable management, better-informed decision-making, and increased community participation in fisheries management. The workshop started on 31st March and ends today, 4th April 2025. Sincere thanks to SPC for supporting Kiribati’s participation in this important workshop.
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