Thailand’s Minister for Agriculture and Co-operatives General Chatchai Sarikulya’s visit is timely as we have just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Fisheries in December 2015, says Minister for Fisheries Osea Naiqamu.

He said this after General Sarikulya paid a courtesy visit at the Ministry of Forestry’s office in Suva yesterday.

Mr Naiqamu said: “The Government of Fiji and in particular the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests are privileged this afternoon to host the presence of His Excellency, the Hon. Minister for Agriculture and Co-operatives of the Kingdom of Thailand, General Chatchai Sarikulya, as we embark on enhancing bilateral relations in the fisheries sector.

“The technical co-operation received thus far is immensely acknowledged and Fiji welcomes future co-operation in this regard,” he said.

“To materialise and implement the MOU on Fisheries we have changed the list of experts to be part of the Joint Fisheries Working Group. The group would be tasked to implement the provisions of the MOU on fisheries co-operation between the two countries,” he said.

Fiji had already received some technical assistance from the government of Thailand in 2013, which included the supply and importation into Fiji of the highly targeted commercial shrimp species, Penaeis vannamei, which is now currently farmed in Fiji.

General Sarikulya said: “The visit means more link and relations between Fiji and Thailand in years to come and we are grateful to be here.”

Key areas of focus between the two countries were the sustainable development of aquaculture, possible co-operation in Research and Development and Fiji’s strategies to address Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Edited by Manasa Kalouniviti

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