The Tuvalu Fisheries Authority (TFA) has secured NZ$10.9 million in grant funding from New Zealand to advance the third phase of its national fisheries support programme, in a move aimed at strengthening sustainable resource management and boosting economic returns.
The five-year agreement, signed with New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), will fund the Tuvalu Fisheries Support Programme Phase 3 (TFSP3), continuing more than a decade of bilateral cooperation in the sector.
TFA said the programme will underpin implementation of its corporate plan, with a focus on improving economic and food security outcomes in Tuvalu through enhanced fisheries governance and operational capacity.
The funding package includes support for sustaining revenues from oceanic fisheries, alongside initiatives to strengthen domestic fishing and fish marketing activities. It will also finance institutional capacity-building across financial management, human resources and governance functions.
As part of the programme, two long-term technical advisers will be deployed to assist implementation, while resources have been allocated for the repair and maintenance of key fisheries assets, including the patrol and support vessel Manaui II, to restore operational readiness.
TFA Managing Director Sam Finikaso said New Zealand’s continued partnership had been instrumental in developing the country’s fisheries sector.
“New Zealand has been a great supporter of fisheries in Tuvalu. This third phase will provide more resources than earlier projects, and we expect excellent results,” Finikaso said.
The latest agreement builds on earlier programme phases that contributed to stabilising fisheries revenues and expanding local industry participation, reinforcing the sector’s role as a cornerstone of Tuvalu’s economy.
