The FishFAD project successfully deployed two Fish Aggregating devices or FADS in the waters of Tarawa, Kiribati on 13 May 2021 and a further two FADS deployed in June. A FAD is a structure or device that is anchored to the sea bottom and has floats at the surface, this becomes an attraction for marine life and small fish that are then the food for larger high value fish like tuna.

The four deployed FADs will greatly support the livelihoods of Tarawa's large urban fisher population and form a major part of the projects objectives, increasing landings of larger pelagic fish species into domestic food security and revenue generation post-harvest activities.

FADs can also contribute to improve sea safety for small scale fishers who can fish for larger species without having to travel further distances from the coastline.

Before deployment, a training of FishFAD project stakeholders workshop in Tarawa, was held to manufacture FADS. The design selected for manufacturing was the Lizard Tail FAD that consists of five high quality pressurized floats 40m under the surface and a surface float system. The Lizard tail FAD design utilized is part of the projects objectives to build longer term more sustainable FADs. If surface FADs are vandalized the FAD remains as a semi-submersible FAD with the pressurized floats at 40m below the surface.

Also prior to FAD deployment, the ocean floor of the selected sites was surveyed with a deep water echo sounder that was acquired for the project to assure the correct placement of the FAD anchoring systems on relatively flat bottom shelves that extend a considerable distance off shore.

Project team advisor, Michael Savins said. "As part of the projects key priorities for ecological FAD practices, pre deployment surveys to accurately determine bottom slopes are extremely important." Savins explained. "We used a quality depth sounder to identify bottom slopes to accurately verify and record locations that will greatly improve selecting suitable FAD locations."

Background

Enhancing livelihoods and food security through fisheries with nearshore fish aggregating devices in the Pacific (FishFAD) is an FAO regional project. The FishFAD project seeks to strengthen the contribution of small-scale tuna fisheries to food and nutrition security and the improvement of associated livelihoods, in light of fisheries playing an important role in the provision of food and income for Pacific Island countries. FishFAD is being implemented in Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The Government of Japan is providing USD 4.636 million (ST 12.248 million) for the three-year project.