Fisheries development at FFA develops the capacity of members to sustainably harvest, process and market tuna to create livelihoods and economic profits.

Pacific Island countries need policy change to increase local industry development to create economic growth. Currently local fishing industry has low numbers of jobs, poor earnings from employment and a low impact on poverty alleviation and food security. For example, Pacific Islands countries catch just $200 million worth of tuna from its fisheries while foreign nations fishing in the same waters catch over $1 billion.

Many activities in the Fisheries Development division are part of the DEVFISH project.

Fisheries Development activities also follow the strategy set out in the Regional Tuna Management and Development Strategy.