Promoting seafood exports

The group that completed the two-week Seafood Export Market Development training program run jointly by the University of the South Pacific and Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority with funding from the Forum Fisheries Agency. Photo: Isaac Marty.
The group that completed the two-week Seafood Export Market Development training program run jointly by the University of the South Pacific and Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority with funding from the Forum Fisheries Agency. Photo: Isaac Marty.

ISAAC MARTY

Sixteen individuals graduated with certificates at the conclusion of a two week Seafood Export Market Development workshop at Bokanake in Robert Reimers Enterprises last Friday.

The workshop was funded by the Forum Fisheries Agency and was conducted by University of South Pacific’s (USP) Institute of Marine Resources and Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA).

USP Seafood Marketing Development Consultant Viliame Rabici led the workshop with assistance by Cherie Morris and Shirleen Bala from USP Institute of Marine Resources. Rabici confirmed the goals of the workshop were to: bring people up-to-date with current seafood marketing procedures and best practices and train them for practical handling of seafood businesses.

Discussions on management and marketing tools that looked at viability of business and external forces, threats, finance, technology, resources, and other aspects, led to practical formulation of strategies to start or improve current operating businesses.

Rabici said there were lots of hands on activities.

USP is expected to repackage the training and add it into its school program for next year, said Rabici.

This is a training program for four Pacific countries. It started with Fiji, followed by Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, and is expected to be in Vanuatu in April 2017.

Read more about this in the November 4, 2016 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.