fish aggregating devices

The project is one of four major undertaking unveiled this week by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leauatea Polataivao Fosi says the deployment of FADs is a huge challenge because it was costly and difficult to maintain as most FADs were lost due to poor designs and at most times destroyed by our own fishers.
 

The use of anchored, nearshore FADs is widely recognised as being one of the few practical ways of increasing the tuna catches of small-scale fishers. In the Pacific Islands region, greater local catches of tuna are needed to help supply the fish required by growing urban and rural populations.

Already more than 300 anchored nearshore and offshore FADs are in use among various Pacific Island countries. Many more will be needed in the future. However, considerable planning, monitoring and research must be done to enable the full benefits of nearshore FADs to be harnessed.