News

News updates from the Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources.

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MFOR Rings in 2025 with Record $210.2 Million Fishing License Revenue

The Honourable Minister Ribanataake Tiwau and his team at MFOR, is happy to greet this new year 2025 with a thrilling news, that as of 31 Dec 2024, MFOR managed to achieve $210.2 Million from fishing license fees. This is performing above the ceiling of $200 Million for 2 consecutive years, despite unfavorable conditions for fishing in the Kiribati EEZ during 2024, as fishing was mostly concentrated in the western Pacific around PNG and FSM. More info will be published in the MFOR Annual Report 2024. Stay tune followers.

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MFOR Monument and Billboard at Tanobakoa site

Kiribati is often labeled as the country that will submerge with sea level rise due to climate change. However, the Government of Kiribati has argued against this defeating narrative and instead encouraged all I-Kiribati to see our collective future from a position of strength using our large ocean space and the rich cultural values that make us who we are.
In line with this message, The Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources is pleased to present 2 completed monuments and 3 billboards bearing our strong messages as a unique, thriving, and one of the largest ocean countries in the world. The monuments are erected at the MFOR’s Tanobakoa site along the Ananau Causeway as part of its beautification efforts.
One monument is captioned, “Mauri, Welcome to Kiribati, Tuna Capital of the World”. This message signifies Kiribati’s position in the world as one of the largest tuna providers to the global market. Tuna is also the main source of protein in Kiribati, and in Tarawa, this is evident throughout the roadside markets. Tuna has been deeply woven into our cultural fabric and provides over 60% of the main revenue to the Government. We pride ourselves as the tuna capital of the world.
The other monument reminds us of the strategic value of Kiribati’s location in the world and our huge ocean, “Tiabo, See you again in Kiribati, Only Country in four hemispheres”. Kiribati is literally the only country that fits in 4 hemispheres of the world, with 3 time zones, and is the first country to see the sunrise each day. Our ocean space is the second largest in the Pacific, a size, when compared in landmass is bigger than India. This speaks volume to the resources, wealth, and potential that Kiribati possesses in its ocean domain.
These stone monuments are made possible through the financial support of the European Union, through ‘Te Tanobakoa Clean-Up Initiative’, as well as the contributions of the individual NGOs that have been part of the campaign. MFOR pleads to the public to look after these monuments and refrain from any form of vandalism or other destructive actions.
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Kiribati and South Korea Strengthen Fishing Partnerships Through Joint Venture Board Meeting

Kiribati has strong fishing bilateral relationships with a number of countries including South Korea. For over a decade, Kiribati and South Korea have strengthened their partnership through their Joint Venture Companies which focused on mutual arrangements relating to fishing for raw tuna materials for Korean companies and the provision of revenues through access fees for Kiribati. On 20 – 21 December 2024, a successful board meeting of these Joint Venture companies was held between Kiribati and the South Korean Companies, Dongwon Industriea, SILLA Co Ltd, and Sajo Industries Co Ltd in Brisbane, Australia. These deals will enable business operations for the new year 2025 with more exciting onshore developments for Kiribati in the future. Honourable Minister Ribanataake Tiwau acknowledged the long-standing and fruitful partnerships between the Government of Kiribati and these Korean companies and their direct contributions to the economic aspirations of both parties.

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Kiribati CA Strengthens Regional Collaboration on Market Access in Brisbane Meeting

The Kiribati CA is grateful to have participated in the team leaders meeting held in Brisbane from December 16th to 20th, 2024. This meeting provided a valuable opportunity for regional CAs to exchange information, share ideas, and discuss challenges related to market access requirements. Maintaining access to global markets is essential for the economic development of all Pacific nations, and Kiribati acknowledges the importance of staying aligned with these requirements. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Forum Fisheries Agency for their ongoing technical and financial support, which plays a crucial role in ensuring the success of these discussions and initiatives.

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