This month, IPNLF staff members, Martin Purves and Zacari Edwards accompanied a delegation from St Helena for a capacity building trip to the Maldives. The trip was an opportunity for key stakeholders in the St Helena tuna industry to witness first-hand how one-by-one tuna fishing and processing are carried out in the Maldives. As part of the busy schedule, the delegation participated in a Q&A session with the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) regarding national standards for tuna products. They also visited the processing plant of IPNLF member Ensis and toured their facilities. The group also joined Maldivian handline fishermen on a fishing trip targeting yellowfin tuna, allowing them to observe the specialised fishing and onboard handling techniques which contribute to the high value of this product.
St Helena delegation on an Ensis factory tour © IPNLF
The ST Helena delegation learnt a lot about yellowfin hand-line fishing © IPNLF
St Helena delegation on an Ensis factory tour © IPNLF