Transcript 01.1 Solomon Islands Fisheries Overview

Solomon Islands Fisheries Overview
PRIORITY ADAPTATIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE FOR
FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN SOLOMON
ISLANDS: REDUCING RISKS AND CAPITALISING ON
OPPORTUNITIES WORKSHOP
Iron Bottom Sound, Honiara
18th – 19th April 2013
By Rosalie Masu
Deputy Director Inshore (ag)
Areas to be covered
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Brief Introduction of Solomon Islands
Current Fisheries
Management Measures/Approaches
Future Plans
Introduction
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Vast archipelago of 992 islands, 347 inhabited
Landmass is 28,000 sq km
EEZ is 1.63 million sq km
Reef area is 5,750 sq km
Population estimate is > .5 million persons (2005)
Annual growth rate in 1999 was 2.8% and doubled
to 4.4% in 2005 (one of the highest)
40% below 15yrs, 58% between 15 – 64 yrs, 2%
over 65 yrs
Meaning SI has a very young population which is
growing very fast.
Introduction Cont…
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85 % of the population are rural coastal dwellers
who rely heavily on marine resources
Fish consumption per capita is 33 kg/yr
Importance of Fisheries
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Provide food
Source of income
- employment
- traditional money
- selling of resources
Traditional Medicine
Cultural Values
Contribute towards our country’s economy
Coastal or Inshore Fisheries
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Kile (2000) estimated that subsistence – artisanal
annual production at $SBD60 million which is
about $USD7 million.
Gillett and Lightfoot (2002) estimated the
subsistence – artisanal annual production at
$US9.963 million.
Target Species
FINFISH
 Sharks for fins but rarely
for meat
 Women – Coastal finfish
sp.
 Children – Coastal
finfish sp.
 Men – Outer reef
INVERTERBRATES
 Sea-cucumber
 Trochus
 Crayfish
 Mangrove-shells
 Mud crab
 Clams
Type of fishing methods
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Spear-fishing
Gill-netting
Hand-linning
Collection by hand for inverterbrate
Traditional methods – using coconut frowns
Traps
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Even dynamite fishing too!!
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Export Value for Inshore Fisheries
Major contributors to the Export Value
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Beche-der-mer
Trochus
Button Blanks – from trochus
Sea weed
Coral (CurioTrade)
Sharks-fin
Reef fish/fillet
Aquarium fish
Cray Fish
Inshore fisheries purchased from Provinces
by exporters 1991 - 2011
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Choiseul
Western
Malaita
Isabel
Central
Guadalcanal
Temotu
Honiara
Makira/Ulawa
Renbel
Aquaculture
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90’s – export of farmed tiger prawns
Current Efforts: Seaweed Farming as an
alternative. Target production for 2013: 1500mt
Small backyard ponds – Tilapia (Mosambique)
GIFT Tilapia – Risk Assessment Complete,
Biosecurity Protocols.
Current Research: Milkfish&Mullet
Peanut Fish (Sticopus Horrens)
Fresh Water Fishery
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Mostly for subsistence only
Shells (gastropods, bivalve)
Prawns
Fish eg. Tilapia
Eels
Tuna Fishery
Tuna Catch by Domestic and Foreign Vessels
2000 - 2011
Tuna Species
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From 2000 – 2011, Catch was dominated by
Skipjack.
Skip Jack – 72%
Yellow Fin – 24%
Big Eye – 1%
Albacore – 2%
Others – 1%
Tuna is exported as:
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Frozen
Canned
Smoked
Fishmeal
Chilled
Loin
Effort Trend
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Depletion of important commercial species is
very evident
Generally effort is higher as compared to the
“good old days”
Due to high fishing pressure
- shift from subsistence to cash base
- increase population
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Management Measures for Inshore
Fisheries
Ban for Export
Size Limits
Gear Restrictions
Reduce fishing pressure – Aquaculture Options
- iFADs
Management Plans for key commercial species.
Encourage Marine Protected Areas and
Managed Areas through CBRM/CBFM and
EAFM approaches.
NGO partners – Monitoring in project Sites
Management Measures for Tuna
Fisheries
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Solomon Islands managing Tuna together with
other countries as part of Regional Cooperation
through: PNA (Parties to the Nauru
Agreement), FFA, W
Tuna management Plan.
Vessel Day Scheme (VDS)
New Policy: To land tuna catches onshore
Encourage Onshore based investments
Future: Near
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Fisheries Bill: Pass June/July sitting
Management Plans finalised for key commercial
species
Strengthen Partnership: Communities (CBOs),
NGOs, Provincial, Regional Organisations,
Industries.
Thank you!!