A nearly VT3 billion World Bank package is expected to strengthen Vanuatu’s fisheries sector, improve livelihoods and build resilience in coastal communities.
Vanuatu’s fisheries sector is set for a major boost, with Prime Minister Jotham Napat confirming that the World Bank has agreed to provide nearly VT3 billion to support the industry.
The funding is aimed at strengthening fisheries management, improving economic opportunities for fishers and fish workers, and increasing the domestic supply of climate-resilient fish products. The support comes at a time when Vanuatu is working to rebuild economic momentum after repeated natural disasters, aviation disruption and wider cost pressures.
For an island economy such as Vanuatu, fisheries are more than a food security issue. They are central to livelihoods, coastal employment, local enterprise and export potential. Better management of coastal and oceanic fisheries can help communities earn more from existing resources while protecting the marine ecosystems on which the sector depends.
The World Bank project objective includes improving access to economic opportunities for fishers and fish workers, strengthening national fisheries capacity and encouraging regional collaboration. It also recognises the need to make domestic fish supply chains more climate resilient, particularly as Pacific Island countries face rising pressure from warming seas, extreme weather and coastal degradation.
The investment is likely to support practical improvements such as better infrastructure, stronger market access, improved handling and storage, and more effective fisheries governance. These are areas that can make a direct difference to small operators, especially in outer islands where fishers often struggle with transport, cold storage and access to reliable buyers.
Prime Minister Napat’s announcement also signals continued cooperation between Vanuatu and the World Bank in sectors that combine economic development with resilience. Fisheries remain one of the few areas where local communities, small businesses and national development priorities intersect closely.
If implemented well, the programme could help Vanuatu move beyond subsistence and low-margin activity towards a stronger fisheries value chain that supports jobs, food supply and private sector growth.
