More than 80 per cent of the world’s fisheries are at risk from overfishing, says United States Ambassador to Fiji, Judith Cefkin.

“This is a serious threat to our global food and economic security,” Ms Cefkin said.

She said this during the Our Ocean, Our Responsibility Conference in Lami yesterday.

Participants from 11 Pacific island countries are attending the conference. They discussed ways of protecting our ocean.

“Today almost half of the world’s population relies on fish and seafood as a key source of protein,” she said.

“Fish is among the most traded food commodities in the world. This is particularly significant for the South Pacific region, which supplies over 50 per cent of the world’s tuna.”

Ms Cefkin said pollution and the effects of climate change had threatened the marine ecosystems around the world.

“This not only affects the myriad organisms that live in the sea, but also communities that rely on the ocean for their food and livelihoods,” she said.

Jasimen Mendiola from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), said Pacific island nations must work together to protect our ocean.

Another participant, Teniti Aro Taam from Kiribati, said climate change and the rise in sea level had been affecting their country.

“Pacific island nations must work together to protect our ocean,” she said.

The three-day conference ends today.

Countries participating are Kiribati, Tuvalu, FSM, Palau, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Marshall Islands and Fiji.

Edited by Maikeli Seru

shahani.mala@fijisun.com.fj