Fishery resources are important assets to the economy, society, and culture of Oceania, and for the people of Oceania, fisheries are the foundation of their daily lives, including food and employment. In recent years, however, fishery resources have been threatened by various factors, including the risk of extinction and overfishing, the burden of development on the marine environment, and the negative impact of climate change on coastal ecosystems and fishing communities as a main cause. The conservation and management of marine resources is included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as Goal 14, “Conservation and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources” (“SDG 14”), and countries in Oceania are strengthening their efforts by actively participating in international conferences and training programs aimed at strengthening measures to address marine issues, and by implementing related projects. The countries of the Pacific Ocean are stepping up their efforts by actively participating in international conferences and training programs aimed at strengthening measures to deal with maritime issues and implementing related projects. However, there is a chronic shortage of administrative personnel who can respond to these activities due to financial difficulties. The challenge is to strengthen the capacity of fisheries-related personnel, including staff from fisheries-related ministries and agencies, to contribute to the achievement of SDG 14 and to develop the necessary framework for this purpose. This cooperation will contribute to strengthening the capacity of Fiji’s fisheries professionals in the region to promote efforts to achieve SDG 14 in Pacific island countries by enhancing their technical capacity and implementing South-South cooperation for the achievement of SDG 14.
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