9 Jun 2006

NZ assists Cooks marine resource management

5:45 pm on 9 June 2006

New Zealand is to help fund efforts of the Cook Islands to strengthen the management and sustainable use of marine resources in the Cooks.

The foreign minister, Winston Peters, made the commitment in Rarotonga at the start of a three-day visit.

New Zealand will providing about 3 million US dollars over an initial three-year period to support the development of offshore and inshore fisheries and aquaculture.

The work is being carried out by NZAID in collaboration with AusAID and the Cook Islands Ministry of Marine Resources.

At 1.8 million square kilometres, the Cook Islands has one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the Pacific.