The Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) in Fiji donation of  a $3000 slicer machine to the Ministry of Fisheries is set to boost the income of fishers in the northern part of Kadavu island. .

Northern Kadavu consists of the tikina (districts) of Ono, Nakasaleka and Yale which has a membership of 80 licenced fishers.

The handover was for the fishers in the Northern part of Kadavu yesterday at the Lami Fisheries Station by the Government of Japan through JICA.

Fisheries acting director Aisake Batibasaga during the presentation yesterday at the Lami Fisheries Station thanked JICA for their assistance.

Mr Batibasaga said that the slicer will greatly assist fishers in the Northern part of Kadavu who were mostly engaged in deep sea fishing.

“With the establishment of the fishermen association, and the introduction of deep sea fishing projects such as trolling and assistance with FAD deployment, the fishermen have been catching tuna and associated pelagic species such as yellow fin tuna.

“They have had difficulty in selling their catch around the Kadavu coastal community because of the sizes of their catches and costs.

“Fishermen make $200 to $1000 weekly, from their sales. The Northern Kadavu Fishermen Association members sell their catch at the Kavala Jetty, and at times would bring them across to Suva,” he said.

“This new fish slicer will be used to cut up the fish into slices to make it easier and cheaper for the coastal community to buy the fish per kilogramme unit.

“This valuable assistance is a testimony of the continuing commitment by the Government of Japan through JICA to help support the fisheries sector, through the storage, processing and marketing of fisheries products, and also providing food security and livelihood options for our coastal communities; and help develop the fisheries sector further.

“JICA has also been assisting the ministry in other areas such as technical training and expert assistance on other fisheries projects,” Mr Batibasaga said.