The Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority Director, Glen Joseph, says Pacific Island nations need to develop their involvement in the tuna industry to get greater returns on the region's resource.
He says pacific nations should aim to for greater involvement in processing, fishing and the servicing of vessels.
Mr Joseph says for the Marshalls, the fishery is a core resource:
"It's very important. With a limited resources based country, the marine resources are a way of life; traditionally, culturally and we rely on it for our economic growth and that's its social and economic value, in fact it may the only resource forward for our people."
Mr Joseph says pacific nations get less than five percent of the US$3 billion annual revenue from the tuna harvest in the Pacific.
