Andrew conducting awareness session in East Efate community.
Port Vila, Vanuatu (23 June, 2025) – Andrew Morris, the East Efate Area Administrator under the Shefa Provincial Council, is charting a new course for his community’s development—one rooted in the ocean’s resources. As part of Vanuatu’s first cohort to graduate from the micro-qualification trainings on Establishing and Operating a Small Seafood Business and Maintaining Seafood Safety and Quality, Andrew is putting his learning into action by revitalizing the fisheries sector in East Efate. The training funded by the European Union and the Government of Sweden through the USP component of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) Programme was held at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology from 2-13 June 2025.
While the area has long relied on farmed food, seafood remains an underutilized resource. “We have plenty of land-based produce,” Andrew shared, “but our seafood is often overlooked. Through this training, I saw a clear opportunity to use what’s already around us to improve our diets and create income.”
With this vision, Andrew is working to raise awareness across East Efate about the nutritional and economic value of seafood. He has already taken concrete steps—securing a freezer through collaboration with Members of Parliament and stakeholders; and negotiating the delivery of a fishing boat in 2025. Plans for further storage infrastructure, including a cool room and additional freezers, are set for 2026.
Determined to ensure sustainability, Andrew also intends to engage retired fisheries officers to train young farmers to diversify into fishing. “This is not just about catching more fish—it’s about safe, quality food for our families and creating long-term opportunities for our youth,” he explained. His goal is to build a community that not only benefits from its marine resources but does so with the knowledge and practices that ensure both safety and quality.
These micro-qualification trainings, delivered through the USP PEUMP Programme, have given Andrew the tools to lead from the front—transforming ideas into action and empowering East Efate’s communities to thrive through their oceans.
As one of four key implementing partners in the €45 million PEUMP Programme, USP promotes sustainable ocean management, food security, economic growth, climate resilience, and marine biodiversity conservation. Housed within USP’s Centre for Sustainable Future, the program integrates fisheries, community livelihoods, conservation, and training into a cohesive regional strategy for lasting impact.
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Media Contact
Lore Croker, USP PEUMP Communications, lore.croker@usp.ac.fj
