BY AGNES MENANOPO
MINISTER for Fisheries and Marine Resources, and Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Maneniaru said the fisheries sector has recruited and employed more women in and around the Solomon Islands.
He said this was the right approach to ensure that women in our societies are employed and to contribute to our income making system in the country.
This year’s World Ocean Day theme was “Gender and Ocean” and the Coral Triangle Day theme was “Paving way for gender equality”.
“These themes reflect our efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) ‘Goal 5-Gender Equality’ which is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls and our SDG ‘Goal 14-Life Below Water’ which is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable developments.
“One of the highest sources of revenue for this country is from our fisheries, through our fishing industries and cannery in Noro, where they have also provided jobs for many citizens.”
“Cannery in Noro alone provided over two thousand jobs for the locals which are inclusive of both men and women,” Hon. Maneniaru said.
He said that addressing Gender Equality to fisheries, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources also consider this in its recruitment.
“Moreover, considering gender in the fisheries sector men, women, youths, and children have different roles they play. Men are mostly involved in offshore fishing. Women are mostly involved in gleaning activities on reefs and mangroves, for example, collecting of seashells and mangrove beans and tuna processing,” Hon. Maneniaru said.
He added that in aquaculture especially seaweed farming, women and children are also mostly involved in planting and harvesting.
Therefore, he said that to improve the fisheries sector in Solomon Islands appropriate training should be targeted for the different gender groups including men, women, and youths.
“Equipping women, men, and youths with appropriate knowledge, techniques and skills will enhance their performance in the fisheries sector as well. This is one of the areas the ministry has done before and will continue to ensure this training is still available to them,” the Fisheries Minister said.
