NMI importing less fish

Spurred by the increasing demand for fresh sea products, more local businessmen are venturing into commercial fishing as manifested by the sharp decrease in fish imports in recent years, a report from the Department of Commerce disclosed.

The Central Statistics Division noted that fish imports dropped by close to 85 percent in a six-year period, from 1.194 million pounds in 1992 to only about 184,300 pounds in 1997.

Since 1992, CNMI witnessed a declining trend in the importation of fish products into the Northern Marianas. Fish imports dropped by 43 percent from 1992 to 1993, then down again by 24 percent in 1995.

The biggest drop on an annual comparison was recorded between 1996 and 1997 when fish imports fell by 55 percent from 410,690 pounds to only 184,363 pounds.

A study previously commissioned by the Commonwealth Ports Authority has, in fact, recognized the bright potential for fish transshipment in the Northern Marianas especially when this is complemented by an aggressive program.

A domineering program that may be implemented by the CNMI government on fish transshipment can handle at least 150 boat loads of 15-20 tons per month, bringing at least $3,500 in wharfage revenue to the seaport each month.

Also, there are some opportunity to transship fresh or frozen tuna in the CNMI, taking advantage of the airlift to Japanese market. The Central and Western Pacific Ocean is home to the world’s largest tuna fishery, which is currently worth approximately $1.7 billion.

However, the commerce department report showed that imports still comprise for more than half of total fish sold in the Northern Marianas each year.

In 1996 alone, a total of 846,686 pounds of fish products were sold in the CNMI with around 410,690 of which were imported from countries in Micronesia and Asia, and the mainland United States.

In 1997, 380,135 pounds of fish were caught and sold in the Northern Marianas, with reef fishes constituting the largest common species, followed by the skipjack tuna and mahi-mahi.

Palau has remained the biggest importer of fish into the CNMI, accounting for 67 percent, or 59,171 pounds, of total imports by end-December 1997 while Guam brought in 49,670 pounds.

For the same year, Marshall Islands brought in 35,159 pounds of fish products while Pohnpei and Yap respectively imported 12,154 pounds and 8,082 pounds of fish to the Northern Marianas.

The Tenorio Administration has been urged to aggressively provide local fishermen with the necessary technical and financial assistance in order to develop the CNMI’s rich marine resources.

Government leaders recognized the immediate need to develop the Commonwealth’s fisheries-related infrastructure to entice more local participation in to the sector.
In 1998, members of the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures adopted a resolution pushing for the development of a regional fishing cooperative arrangement among island member states.