Foreign access fees from foreign fishing vessels will more than double for Solomon Islands in the nest three years as a direct result of the establishment of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Secretariat.

Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Nollen Leni made the revelation during the handing over of the new NZ$ 2.7 million (SBD$16m) Ministry of Fisheries building by the New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully on Friday last week at the Panatina seashore premises.

“In the past two years, the Ministry of Fisheries has more than doubled access revenue from foreign fishing vessels which now contributed some $110 million to the consolidated revenue”, Mr. Leni said.

Additionally, the Ministry is well advanced in negotiating with a reputable Korean fishing company that in keen to invest in a new cannery in the country that will employ approximately 3000 Solomon Islanders.

According to the Minister, staffs from the Ministry of Fisheries have been very instrumental in the establishment of the PNA Secretariat in Samoa.

“We recognize the importance of working with our Pacific brothers and sisters to manage tuna resources regionally and we are making a significant contribution to PNA”, said   Mr Leni who is currently in Palau on another PNA Leaders Meeting.

Mr. Leni sincerely thanked the NZ Foreign Affairs Minister for the assistance the NZ Government has rendered towards the construction of the new ministerial building, particularly the fisheries support package Mekem Strong Solomon Islands Fisheries.

“My Government is very grateful for this assistance and it pleases me that in the spirit of partnership we have jointly developed and will jointly implement this package,” Mr. Leni said.

Mr. Leni said fisheries will be the new answer for government revenue in the face of declining revenue from log exports but that will also come with some dramatic changes within the administration of the fisheries sector, he said.

He acknowledged that NZ fisheries funding has enable the Ministry to tackle some pressing problems in the Ministry.

“We have effectively rebuilt the Ministry with proper systems and practices in place, and we are building a core of competent and professional staff,” he said.

 Mr. Leni the new vision of the future of fisheries in Solomon Islands will require a major shift in the focus of the Ministry.

“We have shifted our focus. Whilst conservation is paramount we are also committed to managing and developing our fisheries and marine resources for sustainable economic outcomes. We must assist our people to improve the quality of their lives”, said Mr. Leni.

In this respect, the Ministry of Fisheries was instrumental in turning the Soltai fishing company around and setting it on the path to profitability.

“Soltai is now pumping in $15 million a year into the pockets of Solomon Islanders in the form of wages, a figure that is very likely to rise by 50% during the next twelve months”, he said.

“This is an exciting time for Solomon Islands fisheries”, Mr. Leni added.

The Ministry of Fisheries staff will move into their new offices in mid March 2010 with a public open day celebration being planned.