The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in collaboration with cChange Program is committed to strengthen sustainable fishing practices across rural coastal communities with the roll out of Solwata Blo Iumi Information Toolkit in the first quarter of this year
This toolkit is designed to empower communities to manage their marine resources sustainably through informed, community-driven solutions.
And to assess success of this rollout program, a workshop was held recently at the Heritage Park Hotel attended by fisheries officers, community representatives, and other practitioners, to assess the toolkit’s effectiveness in supporting sustainable fishing across the Solomon Islands.
The one-day session provided a platform for participants to share insights on the toolkit’s field application and discuss ways to enhance its impact.
Deputy Director of the Inshore Fisheries Division, Ms. Faye Siota, opened the workshop by welcoming participants, noting, “It’s inspiring to see so many fisheries officers and practitioners here to share and learn from one another.
“Today we’ll not only explore the toolkit itself but focus on assessing its rollout in communities. Your experiences are invaluable as we discuss and refine our approach to scaling up sustainable practices across the islands.”
With 10,000 toolkits now available for distribution, the MFMR aims to reach 300 communities by the end of 2024.
These toolkits, presented as user-friendly discussion booklets, are designed to facilitate the “Solomons Way” of community engagement—encouraging locals to gather, address challenges, and develop collaborative fishing regulations to protect marine resources.
The MFMR invites the public to tune into SIBC for weekly updates and to connect with local fisheries offices or the Solwata Blo Iumi campaign on social media to learn more about obtaining a toolkit. This initiative underscores the Ministry’s commitment to community-led, sustainable resource management for future generations.
Francis Pituvaka
Communication Officer
