Marshall Islands FAD Programme
1 : Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority
(MIMRA)
* : Corresponding author
Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA)
PO Box 860 Majuro 96960 -
Îles Marshall
The Marshall Islands has a long history of fishing and Marshallese people have always relied on harvesting of marine resources for food security. Fish aggregating devices (FAD) were first introduced in 1986 by the Overseas Fishery Foundation Cooperation (OFCF) of Japan in Majuro and Arno atolls. Several FADs were deployed and prompted interest but never followed through as a program. In early 2007, MIMRA secured PDF funding through FFA to procure four sets of FADs to promote sustainable fishing and food security through FAD fishing in the Marshall Islands. Three FADs were deployed and have shown to be productive over a two week period; however, were lost. The extra FAD was deployed in 2009 and has shown to be very productive. By 2009, another set of 3 FADs, again through PDF funding, were secured and successfully deployed with onsite technical assistance by SPC. All FADs deployed within Majuro Atoll are offshore, Indian Ocean designs. Trolling is the main fishing technique used around FADs with catches of yellowfin (Thunnus albacores), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus), wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) and marlin (Makaira spp) on some occasions. Monitoring of the FADs is done every three months to inspect its flotation, mooring rope, underwater hardware etc. Data collection system is through face to face consultations with local fishermen using SPC's Artisanal Tuna Logbook, which will later then be entered to TUFMAN-Artisanal database at MIMRA. With the rising fuel costs and other economic factors, FADs have shown to be effective and has a drastic positive impact on the fishing community.
| Subject : | : | oral |
| Language of text | : | English |
| Topics | : | 1- Artisanal Fisheries and moored FAD programs |
| Keywords | : | Marshall Islands ; FAD ; MIMRA |
| PDF version | : |  PDF version |
