More than 140 fishermen in Nadi have formed an association with the aim to form a co-operative.
Nadi Fishermen’s Association president Usman Ali said the members had been struggling to find stable income in the face of new regulations and growing competition.
“We want to set up a network for our members to allow us to be self-sufficient,” he said.
“Right now there are so many fishermen that are facing economic challenges brought about by COVID19 and a lot of them are living below the poverty line.
“So we wanted to set up this network and engage the authorities to identify options and opportunities to help our members.
“Most of them will need assistance but we don’t want to do that most of the time. We want to bring in opportunities for our members so they can be self-reliant.”
The association met with officials from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji and the Ministry of Fisheries in Korovuto, Nadi, where concerns on licensing and boat safety were raised.
