Parliament brief

Member of Parliament Teokatai Herman in supporting the allocation of $2,395,516 for the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) in the Supplementary Budget said MMR must be supported and encouraged for the work they do.

He said food security standards are concerning, as the country relies heavily on imported seafood and vegetables from New Zealand.

“If we were to face another pandemic that leads to closed borders, we would be in big trouble. Even though the pearl farming industry in the Northern Group has faced challenges, we should not be discouraged.

“We must continue to pursue marine development and work towards achieving seafood security for our country. The Prime Minister recently informed us about his visit to China, where they toured a laboratory dedicated to spawning and culturing various types of marine life, particularly seafood. They discovered some species that can thrive in our ocean temperatures.

“For instance, they culture all kinds of sea cucumbers, whether slippery or spiny. Additionally, while we know that oysters cannot survive, they have developed adaptable oyster varieties that are suitable for our climate. “... I believe it is crucial for all of us to support this Ministry in order to secure and cultivate these seafood species here, enabling us to farm them for export to New Zealand.”