FFA with members of the Overseas Fishing Co-operation Foundation (OFCF) of Japan in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The heads of fisheries from the Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu held talks this week with the Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation of Japan (OFCF) in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The two-day meeting which ran from Monday February 24 to Tuesday February 25 discussed development funding for regional fisheries.

The talks ran as part of an agreement under the Japanese Promotion Fund, which established in 2008 by the OFCF and is committed to project funding in Pacific Islands Forum Fishery Agency Countries (FFA). It claims an annual contribution of around $1 Million (USD) annually.

Honoured

FFA Director General, Mr James Movik stated, “We are particularly honoured this year that the OFCF team is headed for the first time ever by its President, Mr Yoshio Ishizuka, which is a very strong signal of the importance that OFCF places on its fisheries relationship with FFA member countries and with the FFA.”

Mr Movik praised the OFCF for its contributions. “The associated OFCF program of technical training, study tours and invitation for key personnel program as well as the provision of important small scale fisheries development projects has significantly contributed to capacity building in Pacific Islands fisheries administrations over the past 40 years.”

The Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation of Japan was established in 1973. It works to build relations between the Japanese Government and other coastal countries.