The U.S. Department of State’s support to Fish 2.0 builds on ongoing initiatives and new commitments announced at the June 2014 Our Ocean Conference, and reinforces the Department’s commitment to working with diaspora communities to power development through partnership.

For more information about this partnership, please email partnerships@state.gov or visit http://www.fish20.org/events/pacific

Fish 2.0 in the Pacific Islands

Fish 2.0 has unique opportunities for Pacific Island businesses in the 2015 competition.  All seafood related businesses as well as mariculture businesses from the Pacific Islands are eligible to compete in Fish 2.0 this year.

Unique benefits for Pacific Island businesses.

Pacific Islanders (defined here as Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands (RMI), Micronesia (FSM), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) who compete in Fish 2.0 can win the following regional prizes. For the top Pacific Island businesses in the competition, we will be awarding:

• $45,000 in professional service contracts aimed at helping businesses to advance towards investment
• Travel awards covering air, food and lodging, for the six top Pacific Island competitors to attend the Fish 2.0 Finals

These prizes will be awarded in addition to the $180,000 in prizes offered to Fish 2.0 competitors globally. Travel awards will be announced in September and professional service contract awards will be announced in January 2016.

Educational workshops to be held In Micronesia and Fiji.

We are holding two workshops in the region on Fish 2.0 providing hands on training around investor presentations and support for interested business to apply for the competition.

The first workshop will be held from February 2-4, 2015 in Pohnpei, Micronesia, in partnership with the Micronesia Conservation Trust.

The second workshop will be held in Nadi, Fiji in partnership with WWF-Pacific from March 10-12, 2015.

Please contact us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have an interest in participating in these workshops or know of businesses or investors in the region that might like to get involved.

Investors and Experts with Pacific Island interests: Join us as advisors and judges

Individuals with experience living and working in the Pacific Islands have unique insights and expertise to offer business leaders in their home countries, drawing upon their own work as business or technical experts, as well as their experiences crossing into new business environments and cultures.   Click here to learn more about serving as an advisor.

How can we offer this support for the Pacific Islands?

The Pacific Island effort is supported by IdEA, the International diaspora Engagement Alliance, a public/private partnership managed by Calvert Foundation, the U.S. Department of State, and USAID. The goal is to leverage the power of Pacific Islands diaspora as entrepreneurs, advisors, investors, and advocates for the sustainable fishing, mariculture, and aquaculture industries that are critical to Pacific Island economies and environments. The generous support of IdEA and their interest in advancing business development and investment in the region makes these additions for the region possible.

Additional support for Pacific Island workshops has been made available by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s Pacific program.