Cook Islands National FAD Programme
1 : Ministry of Marine Resources
* : Corresponding author
PO Box 85 Rarotonga Cook Islands -
Îles Cook
The development of anchored Fish Aggregation Device FAD s in the Cook Islands began in 1981 This initiative was seen as a means of improving pelagic fish availability reducing the cost of fishing operations and to improve sea safety The introduction of FADs was also accompanied by introduction of various new fishing technologies FADs have improved alternative income generation either for part time full time fishers and tourism related fishing charters The Ministry of Marine Resources also sees FADs as a means of ensuring food security for both the domestic population and tourism sector In the Cook Islands various alterations have been made to the Standard Secretariat of the South Pacific FAD design from float design aggregates the mooring system and the anchor system to try and improve FAD longevity and at the same time reduce cost of FADs while ensuring there effectiveness What is currently in use are the steel spar and Indian Ocean float design the mooring system compiling nylon rope for the upper portion and polypropylene rope for the lower mooring system Rope size range from 14-22mm three strand although eight and twelve strand ropes have been used The anchor blocks are generally concrete however heavy discarded steel engines have been used Cook Islands have deployed both deep water FADs 800 meters and shallow water FADs between 250-500 meters From our experience FAD maintenance either through the use of SCUBA gear or using airbags to retrieve as much as possible the upper portion of the FADs is crucial to improved longevity During FAD maintenance coral fishing gear such as hooks and tangled monofilament are found and removed Fishing gear interaction with FADs appears to be the main concern with FADs FADs longevity has improved since the introduction of the Seychelles type designs FADs longevity is generally over
| Subject : | : | oral |
| Language of text | : | English |
| Topics | : | 1- Artisanal Fisheries and moored FAD programs |
| Keywords | : | FAD Cook Islands |
| PDF version | : |  PDF version |
