Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele on Monday formally welcomes leaders converging in Honiara this week for the ‘Honiara Summit on the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.4’.
The Summit he added, aims to address the challenges and opportunities in managing the health of the world’s oceans and fisheries.
Themed: “Iumi Tugeda: Delivery on SDG 14.4: Achieving Sustainable Fisheries.” Prime Minister Manele emphasised the importance of the Summit for Solomon Islands, a Small Island Developing State with vast oceanic resources, where 98 percent of the nation’s territory consists of ocean.
Covering 1.6 million square kilometers of ocean, Solomon Islands relies heavily on sustainable fisheries for its economy, contributing approximately 6 percent of the country’s GDP and an annual average of $280 million(US$32.8 million in revenue.
In his statement, Prime Minister Manele also highlighted the growing challenges posed by climate change, overfishing, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and pollution, all of which threaten global fish stocks.
However, he pointed to the success of Pacific nations in maintaining healthy tuna stocks despite these challenges.
“The Pacific is home to 58 percent of the world’s tuna catch, and we have been able to maintain healthy stocks of Albacore, Big Eye Tuna, Yellowfin, and Skipjack.
“We are eager to share our experiences and work together to ensure a sustainable and resilient future for all.”
Prime Minister Manele stressed that regional cooperation is vital, but global collaboration is essential to address pressing issues.
He added, rehabilitating fish stocks and achieving sustainable fisheries targets is in everyone’s common interest.
Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Fisheries, Jelta Wong, emphasized the need for regional collaboration to overcome challenges and retain greater value from tuna resources.
East New Britain Initiative (ENBi) seeks to create sustainable economic opportunities through partnerships, investment, and a Regional Fisheries Development Fund, positioning Pacific nations as key players in the global fisheries value chain.
Minister Wong also highlighted the importance of a unified approach to overcome external pressures and ensure long-term benefits for Pacific nations.
He stressed the need for continued investment in infrastructure and policies to support tuna processing and industry growth within the region.
The summit is being co-hosted by the Solomon Islands government, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, Pacific Islands Forum and several international organisations, including the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Ocean and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.
