Fiji losing out, says expert

Fiji Times - Wednesday, May 05, 2010

FIJI, like other Pacific Island countries, has lost out on potential export earnings to the American and European markets because of tight controls on seafood exports.

New Zealand-based Solution in Seafood Ltd training and specialist adviser Cushla Hogarth made the comment in an interview yesterday at Pacific Harbour where seafood export officers and Fisheries inspectors are attending a two-and-a-half week workshop on the safety of seafood exports.

"Over the years, there are a number of Pacific Island nations that are attempting to export their fisheries products to markets like the US, Europe and Asian market," Ms Hogarth said.

"So what is happening on an international scene is that there is a need for government departments in each of those countries to form a competent authority a government agency that is responsible for the safety of those products being exported."

Ms Hogarth said specialists from the company and other experts had been visiting individual countries where there was a need to train fisheries officials in those countries on the quality standard required by the importing countries, the EU and US in particular.

She said these two countries particularly, sought for seafood exports from the pacific, particularly tuna.

This, she said prompted this programme aimed at training fisheries officials, both in theory and practical, on how to set up their competent authority and how to maintain it; export standards; how to certify seafood products; how to do inspection and audits of seafood products, etcetera.

"Some of them (countries) have actually got up and running with the US because you do not need a competent authority to do that but in time, that will become a requirement," Ms Hogarth said.

"So the Asian market and US market, they have been able to access that but this will mean they can do it much better," she said.

Fisheries officials from Kiribati, PNG, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Marshall Islands are represented at the workshop.

Fiji has yet to send representatives.

In 2007, Fiji's total canned and frozen fish exports were worth around F$100 million in 2007, compared to F$97 million in 2006.