National Fisheries Policy 2019 – 2029.

The National Fisheries Policy is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The timeframe of this policy is 10 years between 2019 and 2029. Strategic objectives of this Policy are (I) to ensure good nutrition and increase socio-economic benefits through the development of inshore and inland fisheries and ecosystem preservation, (II) to strengthen the management of offshore fisheries resources to increase, improve and diversify the benefits, and (III) to support rural livelihoods, food security, economic return and stock enhancement through the development and establishment of a sustainable and well-managed aquaculture sector.
Inland and coastal aquaculture will be developed to meet the future food security requirements, as an alternative to coastal fisheries. Furthermore, as an important source of food security, small-scale fisheries will be supported
In order to ensure sustainable use of the fisheries and aquatic resources, measures will be taken against the increase of commercial exploitation by managing all commercial species of interest through national management plans. Furthermore, control over the harvest, processing and marketing or exporting of inshore and offshore fish caught in its waters will be strengthened. A central, national data repository supporting science-based decision-making will be used for management of all inshore and offshore fisheries. Sustainable use will be facilitated through improved preservation with a special emphasis on endangered and threatened species. Fisheries law will be enforced to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing of inshore and offshore fisheries, through license conditions, an integrated fisheries monitoring programme, data collection and sharing on fishing activities, and a compliance, surveillance and enforcement programme. Management of offshore fisheries will be based on precautionary principle and ecosystem preservation and strengthened through the effective implementation of agreed national, regional, sub-regional and international conservation management measures to ensure sustainability of stocks. In addition to that, aquaculture will be developed to enhance stock of targeted depleted inland and coastal aquatic species.
Rights of rural men and women, including vulnerable and marginalized groups, to access, use and benefit from inshore and inland fisheries will be protected to enhance livelihood opportunities. Moreover, inland and coastal aquaculture will be developed through capacity building of men, women and vulnerable groups as a livelihood opportunity. Local production of value-added fisheries products suitable for export market will be supported to generate income, profits and create job opportunities. Cooperation with provincial governments and civil society partners will be strengthened to facilitate conservation, management and development of inshore and inland fisheries. All fisheries under customary marine tenure will be managed by community-based resource management tools.
This Policy gives emphasis on the ability to secure the necessary resources, a capable and innovative workforce, creativity in exploring new opportunities, and an ability to respond to and deliver in a changing external environment, in order to ensure sustainable fisheries sector that contributes to the socio-economic needs of all Solomon Islanders. To this end, management of inshore and offshore fisheries will be strengthened through fisheries management plans with the ecosystem-based, gender-equitable and rights-based approaches. A central fisheries information system will be established for offshore fisheries through the Fisheries information management systems of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement. Moreover, public-private partnerships will be established to control the harvest, processing and export of fish with an offshore fisheries development approach. To this end, development efforts will include the landing facilities, storage hubs and other support infrastructure to increase market size and value and wider local participation; localization of long-line tuna fishery; landing and processing of all tuna long-line catches in Solomon Islands to maximize socio-economic benefits; and subsidy for vessels tied to domestic processing and development. In accordance to the National Aquaculture Development Plan, integrated strategic and legislative frameworks will be improved to support the development and management of a sustainable aquaculture sector.
Resilience of the fisheries sector to climate change will be increased through cooperation at the community, provincial, national and international level. Protection of species and fish stocks, especially tuna stocks, will be strengthened by taking measures against the impacts of climate change. Management of offshore fisheries resources will be developed through the use of zone-based management tools which aim to future-proof the utilization of the fisheries against projected climate change impacts.