Aplicación

The Kiribati Tuna Development and Management Plan (KTDMP) 2003 – 2006 identified a range of policy options for Kiribati to develop its tuna industry. Such policy options are explained in the objectives of the plan as follows; i) promoting longline development; ii) maximising government revenues; iii) securing more jobs and more business from foreign vessels iv) developing larger scale servicing capacity for fleets operating in the region; and v) Promoting industrial scale tuna fishing and processing Government of Kiribati (GoK) (2003).

According to the KTDMP, the development of locally based and locally owned longline fleets has been identified as the highest priority target. There are prospects for successful development of small scale and medium scale longlining, given the availability of technological skills that are making the smaller scale longlining more feasible and also the favourable market trends coupled with the growing I-Kiribati capacity in the necessary business and technical skills required Government of Kiribati (GoK) (2003). Also the government is continuing to look for ways to encourage investment in medium and large-scale longlining, including necessary infrastructure development, access to financing other economic

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incentives and improvement of the foreign investment application and approval system.

Beverly (2003) stated that the SPC team who visited Kiritimati in 2003 recommended that among other things, further efforts be made to develop tuna longlining and small-scale fishing around FADs; and that more attention be paid to safety at sea, especially considering the remoteness of Kiritimati and the lack of any search and rescue vessels or aircraft.

The view of the SPC team is consistent with a previous conference paper by Savins (2001), stating that while the establishment of the longline industry was stated as a government priority. It should be noted however, that an analysis of Pacific Fisheries by the World Bank (1995) found that medium size Japanese longliner’s (approximately 250 ton) were loss making in the most reasonable of scenarios. Savins (2001) further stated that the economics of the new (5 ton), 13 m wood outrigger medium scale longliner (Tekokona III) recently introduced to Kiribati is proving to be a viable option and even within reach of I-Kiribati fishermen provided financing is made available.

A lot of efforts have been made to investigate viable option for the tuna industry in Kiribati. Between 1998 and 2000, SPC visited Tarawa several times in conjunction with a small-scale tuna longline project conducted by the Fisheries Division using a 12 m plywood outrigger canoe, F/V Tekokona II Sokimi et al (2001). However many problems were encounted during that project trial but eventually the vessel got out fishing and overall results produced a CPUE of 54.9kg/100 hooks of all saleable fish. Records were kept of all transactions and the results were that the vessel suffered a net loss of AUD $ 2351 during the project trial. The vessel was determined to have some limiting factors such as being underpowered, having a small fuel carrying capacity. Recommendations were given to improve the design for the next generation Tekokona and to

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improve fishing operations and infrastructure requirements for processing and packing sashimi grade tunas.

In 2002 Fisheries Development Adviser Lindsay Chapman, visited Tarawa and Kiritimati to report on development options, training needs and infrastructure requirements within the tuna fishing industry Chapman (2003). Chapman reported that Kiribati has a good potential for a domestic longline fishery and it was recommended that the government’s role should be to provide an enabling environment. Tarawa and Kiritimati both could use dedicated fishing ports with safe anchorages for medium-scale vessels, processing facilities, slipways etc.

Airfreight capacity was identified as a limiting factor in domestic tuna fishery development. A potential of baitfish farming was also identified. It was also suggested that the government should set up an ongoing FAD programme to support the small scale tuna fisheries. Value added products were identified as one potential for marketing tuna. Beverly (2003) also pointed out that to implement a tuna development and management plan, training needs are identified in the areas of boat skippers, engineers, hydraulic systems, and refrigeration systems as well as for surveillance, compliance, and observer coverage of longline operations.

Beverly (2003), stated that the development of the longline industry may require the phased reduction in fishing effort by the foreign fleet. There is some potential for increased catches of albacore tuna, particularly in the Southern portion of the Line and Phoenix Islands EEZ.

2.7.1 Tekokona III Project.

F/V Tekokona III was a 13 m wood outrigger canoe powered by a small inboard diesel engine. The vessel was designed by Oyvind Gulbrandesen. The design is called a KIR-16 and was built by Michael Savins at Betiraoi Boatbuilding in

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Tarawa, Kiribati. The construction of the vessel was funded by government of Japan. It is the property of the government of Kiribati and is operated by Central Pacific Producers Ltd (CPPL), a Government of Kiribati enterprise. The main engine was a Yahama 4JH-YE four-cylinder diesel rated at 45 HP. It was mounted in the engine room of the port hull, the larger of the two hulls. It consumed about 3.5 litre of fuel per hour. The fuel tank is 600 litres, giving F/V Tekokona III a range of about seven days continuous steaming.

There was a 200 litre tank of fresh water mounted above the deck on the port side hull. Usual practice was to take along several plastic jugs of water as reserve and a 200 litre plastic barrel of water for bathing. Fish were iced on the boat. The total maximum fish capacity would probably be around 1.5 to 2 MT under the best circumstances. The crew complement on F/V Tekokona III was usually eight men. The usual range which the boat can travel is of 20 miles from the Island.

2.8 Summary.

SPC and FFA play an important role by providing fisheries information and data to member countries and appropriate committees like the WCPTC for decision making and tuna management. The WCPTC in particular is mandated to determine and allocate the total allowable tuna catch for member countries. Thus the SPC and FFA provide statistical data to the Scientific Committee of the WCPTC. Domestication of the tuna industry however is dealt with more at the national level than the regional level but with technical advice and assistance from the regional organisations.

The idea of domestication of the tuna fisheries in Kiribati has been alive since independence in 1979 and has been discussed and proposed from government to government. However little has been accomplished in this area until now, but the government still believe and insist in developing a domestic tuna industry. The Kiribati Tuna Development and Management Plan (KTDMP) 2003 - 2006 is one

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of the outputs of the tuna task force appointed in October 1999 by Cabinet to address the development and management of the tuna industry for Kiribati, however nothing has been done to follow up the plan. New information and new plans came up lately but still the government searches for the right option with assurance of good investment returns. Given all that, the many efforts of government officials with assistance from SPC and FFA, the government still believe that they will increase their benefit by developing the domestic tuna industry. The question remains as to what will be the appropriate policy and strategy for the government to invest in.

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CHAPTER THREE