AQUA-Pearl Quality Assurance Stakeholder Meeting
About
This workshop built on two previous quality assurance workshops that took place in May and November 2025. It brought together key stakeholders from government ministries, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and industry partners to review progress and strengthen coordination on the development and implementation of a quality assurance program (QAP) and hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system for the black-lip pearl oyster within Fiji’s aquaculture sector.
Discussions focused on advancing food safety systems, regulatory and certification requirements, and capacity-building initiatives, while also addressing key operational challenges, governance arrangements, and next steps to support effective implementation and export readiness.
Establishing quality assurance best practices and regulatory steps at the national level will pave the way for small-scale shellfish aquaculture operators, particularly women, to increase the safety of their products and access markets.
Outcomes
- The determination of a framework for assessing compliance for HACCP systems and QAP for live edible oysters under Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services;
- A regulatory framework for licensing, auditing, and export, in close coordination with the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry);
- Development and presentation of the first case study of applying HACCP to live edible oysters with the participation of J. Hunter Pearls, including development of an HACCP manual, site assessments, and HACCP training;
- Sharing of progress on community engagement and gender analysis of women’s role in shellfish aquaculture.
Speakers
- Sakiusa Kiti, AQUA-Pearl consultant
- Veronica Lo, International Institute for Sustainable Development
- Api Cegumalua, HACCP Consultant
- Justin Hunter, J. Hunter Pearls
- Taina Rauvala, Fiji Ministry of Health
- Sanjeet Singh, Fiji Ministry of Health
- Prashneel Chandra, Fiji Ministry of Fisheries
- Rosi Batibasaga, Wildlife Conservation Society Fiji
- Wayne O’Connor, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
- Samantha Nowland, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
- Melonie Ryan, Acronym
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