A $5 million contribution to a Pacific tuna tagging programme was announced by Prime Minister Helen Clark at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga today.

“Fisheries was one of five key issues discussed during the Leaders Retreat, I was very pleased to be able to make this announcement, demonstrating New Zealand’s commitment to sustainable fisheries management in the Pacific,” Helen Clark said.

“The tuna fishery is an extremely valuable resource for the developing nations of the Pacific, with the potential to increase export earnings and create jobs.

“For this potential to be met, regional fisheries bodies need to be able to manage the fishery on a sustainable basis. To help facilitate that, NZAID will contribute up to $5 million to the five-year $13 million Pacific Tuna Tagging Programme to be coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

“Tagging work provides information on fishery dynamics and trends. It is a vital ingredient for accurate stock assessments, which in turn are very essential for ensuring sustainable management.

“The programme will also help Pacific countries negotiate between competing fisheries interests with the support of sound scientifically based knowledge of the fishery.

“While New Zealand is pleased to offer support, in the longer term, we hope to see those exploiting the fishery bear a larger share of the costs of the tagging programme.

“Our assistance builds on New Zealand’s long engagement with the Pacific on fisheries issues. NZAID, our aid and development agency, was a key funder of earlier Tuna Tagging Programmes and is a major funder of the Forum Fisheries Agency which is responsible for regional fisheries management and development in the Pacific,” said Helen Clark.