New fishery home for Reef islanders
People of Reef Islands in Temotu Province now have a newly complete permanent fishery centre to preserve their fresh fish and other perishable products for market.
Located at Nyialo village on Lomlom Island, the initiative is aimed at boosting local fishery within the Reef Islands where fish are abundant with potential benefits to the local communities.
The centre will function as a tributary or feeder for the Lata Fishery Centre and Honiara Markets and also a source of fish market for communities in and around Reef Islands who want to buy fish.
With Reef Islanders heavy reliance on sea resources for their livelihoods, the project proves fitting as it will not only function as a centre where people can buy fresh fish but will certainly encourage people including the young to involve in in-come generating activities like fishing and sell it to the centre.
Deep freezer sets funded by PRC through the RSDP program being implemented by MRD onsite ready for installation at the new fishery centre
The new fishery building replaced the old and rundown building built in the 1980s.
The project was initiated and facilitated by Temotu Pele Constituency under the leadership of former Member of Parliament Hon. Duddley Kopu in collaboration with the Temotu Provincial Government Fisheries Division to guarantee fishermen and women in the Reef Islands have a proper house or centre to keep and preserve their fresh fish and other perishable products for market.
The National government through the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) co-funded the new fishery centre.
Solar panels that are part of the deep freezer sets funded by PRC through the RSDP program being implemented by MRD onsite ready for installation at the new fishery centre
Funding source to the project came from the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) program of the government and the Rural Sustainable Development Program (RSDP), a new partnership program between Solomon Islands and PRC being implemented by MRD.
CDF provides for the construction of the building and other expenses as per the project while RSDP provides for the procurement of five large deep freezer sets which are now onsite awaiting technicians to install before it can go into full operation before mid-2024.
The old and abandoned fishery centre built in the 80s was replaced with the new building at Nyialo village in the Reef Islands, Temotu Province. This photo was captured in July 2022
Reef Islands in Temotu Province is located in the Eastern part of the Solomon Islands. The islands are rich in sea resources especially fish but due to market challenges, people are finding it difficult to bring their catch to the bigger markets to earn good money to support their livelihoods.
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MRD media release