It’s a wrap! We recently finished filming our FISH4ACP film in collaboration with the students from Life Skills Academy in Majuro, Marshall Islands. We are so proud of our Life Skills Academy students who graduated from our media training with Chewy Lin and Wilmer Joel. The students learnt interviewing skills and collaborated on our short film for FAO educating Marshallese about jobs and opportunities available in the local fishing industry.
Congratulations to our graduates Juliam Abija, Veronica Jelkan, Rina Joab, Cathlynn Tawe, Brenda Bolear and Madeline Ekmlang, you all did a tremendous job! Students from Life Skills Academy interviewed Eugene Muller the General Manager of Pacific Island Tuna Provisions and MIMRA Authority Oceanic Chief Fisheries Officer Beau Bigler on their important work in fisheries. They also took a tour of Marshall Islands Fishing Ventures (MIFV) to see the industry for themselves firsthand. This changed the ideas that many of the students had about the fishing industry at the beginning. Madleine Ekmland said, “When I was in MIFV I saw women working there. I realised that both men and women are capable of working in this industry. Reflecting back on the experience Juliam Abija said, “After the field trip, it sparks my desire to work in the fishing industry. Now I can explore new things and make money at the same time.”
Chewy Lin and Wilmer Joel with the LSA student graduates who helped us with our film project. Photo courtesy of Chewy Lin.
The film project was part of the FISH4ACP project in the Marshall Islands that aims to tackle some of the underlying challenges in building sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Actions being taken include the improvement of economic performance, social and environmental sustainability in its value chain.
FISH4ACP supports the Marshall Islands in making its tuna sector more sustainable and in strengthening its position as a hub for tuna landings with a view to bolster economic growth and local employment, while safeguarding the environment. Tuna is big business in the Marshall Islands. In 2019 commercial purse seine fishing of Skipjack, Yellowfin and Bigeye tuna brought in 379,000 tonnes of tuna to the value of USD 526 million. Around 10% of workers in the Marshall Islands are employed in the tuna sector.
Majuro is the world’s busiest tuna transhipment port. The Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) reported that the 294 vessels transshipped 229,239 metric tons of tuna during 2023. This is an average of 780 metric tons of tuna per vessel. In 2019, less than 5% of catches was containerised locally. The project works with MIMRA and local processors are attempting to increase the volume of tuna that flows through shoreside unloading to increase job opportunities to the local community.
MIFV’s Quality Assurance Manager Rose Leah Palo takes Wilmer Joel and the LSA students and teachers on a tour of the processing plant. Photo courtesy of Chewy Lin.
The film is part of a bigger communications campaign that will involve posters, flyers, social media, a Careers in Fisheries event that will be held for students and an industry dialogue later in the year. The communications campaign is focussed on raising awareness with Marshallese about the range of careers and job opportunities that are available locally in fisheries. Marshall Islands has the biggest tuna fishing grounds in the world. Fisheries are the biggest contributor to the local economy. Marshallese currently work in a range of different jobs in the local fisheries, from working on the fishing boats, to loading and processing to management roles, fishing regulation and policy. The FISH4ACP project has been working to make the local tuna industry more sustainable. They are also working to make sure more jobs in fisheries can be done in the Marshall Islands, creating more opportunities for Marshallese to work in fisheries.
The films focus on profiling local champions in the fishing industry such as Eugene Muller the General Manager of Pacific Island Fishing Provisions and Martina Melang the Human Relations Manager at Pan Pacific Foods (pictured below), talking to them about their work and asking them what their advice is to young people. When asked what she gets out of working in the local fishing industry Martina said, “I have been working in this job for 15 years and enjoys the social interaction, it feels like a family. It’s great working locally to remain connected to family and the community. It’s important because of knowledge building and the ability to earn money.”
Film crew Wilmer Joel, Chewy Lin and Goodwind Silk interview Martina Melang from Pan Pacific Foods while Roldan Demco holds the diffuser. Photo taken by Samantha Kies-Ryan.
As part of the communications campaign, the FISH4ACP team visited the Career Fair for Education Week recently to trial some of the campaign materials as well as to talk to students about what they already knew and wanted to know about jobs and careers in the fishing industry. Thanks to the Public School System (PSS) for inviting and hosting us. We hope to be able to partner with them for our Careers in Fisheries Day later in the year.
National Project Consultant Sergio Bolasina, talks to students and teachers about the FISH4ACP project and the opportunities that are available in fisheries at the Education Week Careers Fair. Photo courtesy of Chewy Lin.
We will have more educational opportunities and events coming up later in the year. The films and social media campaign will be ready to be launched very soon!
Fish4ACP is an initiative of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) aimed at making fisheries and aquaculture value chains in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific more sustainable. FISH4ACP is implemented by FAO and partners with funding from the European Union (EU), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).