Fiji and Kiribati have entered into a new partnership aimed at advancing sustainable aquaculture and improving food security in the Pacific region.

Speaking in Parliament, Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu announced that the two nations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding focused on aquaculture development cooperation, particularly involving sandfish a high-value sea cucumber species locally known as dairo.

As part of the agreement, Fiji will supply Kiribati with 150 healthy adult sandfish broodstock to assist in establishing its own sandfish farming programme.

The partnership is expected to ease harvesting pressure on wild sea cucumber stocks while opening up new economic opportunities through sustainable aquaculture and mariculture initiatives.