Central Province Premier Calls for Greater Local Governance and Collective Stewardship on World Ocean Day

CENTRAL PROVINCE, Solomon Islands —Central Province Premier Hon. Kenneth Sagupari in a formal address marking the commemoration of World Ocean Day, characterized the ocean as the vital lifeblood of our communities and issued an urgent appeal for collective action to preserve marine resources for future generations.

The Premier emphasized that for the people of the Central Province, the ocean represents a fundamental pillar of their heritage and way of life, having sustained their ancestors for centuries. The address underscored the ocean’s critical role in maintaining food security, driving economic development, and ensuring community connectivity, noting that thousands of households rely on fishing and aquaculture for their nutritional and financial stability.

While recognizing the fisheries sector’s substantial contributions to national revenue, the Premier identified several existential threats to these resources, including climate change, overexploitation, pollution, and illegal fishing.

To address these challenges, the Premier formally called upon the national government to develop a legislative framework that empowers provincial governments with the authority and resources necessary to monitor and regulate the maritime zones within their jurisdictions.

“The provincial governments require the necessary resources and capacity to manage these vital assets,” the Premier stated, warning that without a unified effort from all stakeholders, the long-term sustainability of fisheries remains in jeopardy.

He added that the Central Province government reaffirmed its commitment to a series of strategic priorities aimed at securing a sustainable blue future. These include, Enhancing community-based fisheries resource management, Promote aquaculture Marine opportunity to diversify local economic prospects, Strengthening enforcement protocols to eradicate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Promoting the active participation of women and youth in the fisheries sector and Protecting essential ecosystems, specifically coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass habitats.

The Premier extended profound gratitude to the province’s fishers, designating them as the “custodians” whose labor secures the nation’s food supply and anchors its economy. He further expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Ministry of Environment, non-governmental organizations, and community leaders in advancing marine conservation.

In a concluding statement on the necessity of immediate action, the Premier remarked, “The future of our fisheries and our oceans depends entirely on the actions we take today. If we keep our environment and our ocean together, we safeguard it for the future and for the generations to come”.