2 Mar 2015

Tuvalu and Kiribati push for locals to crew purse seiners

6:46 am on 2 March 2015

When the Parties to the Nauru Agreement meet this week in Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu and Kiribati will want to complete a deal on local crews working on foreign fishing vessels in PNA waters.

Islands Business Magazine reports the issue was approved by PNA officials and ministers during a meeting in Funafuti last year but nothing legally binding has yet been signed.

The magazine reports Tuvalu has already started to prepare its seafarers for employment opportunities on purse seine vessels with courses at the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute.

Fishing vessel that uses huge bag shaped fishing nets

Kiribati flagged purse seiner in Suva Photo: RNZ / Philippa Tolley