Fiji Fish Marketing Group Limited is now saying the Prime Minister had called a very serious meeting eight weeks ago and had told everyone to meet immediately and come up with a plan to save the tuna business and help the local fishing companies.
Managing Director, Graham Southwick said officials from the Fisheries Ministry, Ministry of Finance and Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji were part of this meeting.
He said the Prime Minister had directed that the issue should be resolved within 48 hours.
However, according to Southwick nothing much has been done by the relevant officials.
Southwick said they urgently want to meet with the Prime Minister in relation to the issue as he had shown great interest in saving the industry.
Fiji Fish Marketing Group Limited has ceased its tuna business and subsequently laid off around 120 employees.
Southwick sayid there has been a massive decline in tuna catches in the last few years and the tuna industry is no longer sustainable.
He said it costs close to $7,000 to put a fishing vessel out at sea for a day and the average catch per day over the last couple of years has been just over $3,000.
He added every fishing vessel is losing around $3,000 a day.
He said they have lost millions in the last five years.
They are now processing and packaging fish for foreign vessels.
Southwick said there has been over fishing in the areas surrounding Fiji.
We are still trying to contact the Minister for Fisheries and Forests, Lieutenant Colonel Inia Seruiratu for a comment.
He refused to say anything when asked about the situation yesterday.
Permanent Secretary, Inoke Wainiqolo said he is on leave and will respond next week.
Story by: Dhanjay Deo
