On September 3, 24 students and 3 faculty members from Kagoshima University arrived in Koror, Palau, aboard the university’s training vessel Kagoshima Maru. The following day, they visited key marine facilities, starting with the Palau Marine Aquaculture Demonstration Center (PMDC), where they learned about the cultivation of giant clams. At Belau Offshore Fishers Inc. (BOFI), they enjoyed local pelagic seafood and gained valuable insights into sustainable fishing through the JICA Blue Economy Project. Their tour concluded at the Palau Aquarium, where they learned about Palau’s rich marine ecosystem.
The next day, officials from the Department of Fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment (MAFE), along with an expert from the JICA Blue Economy Project, visited the vessel Kagoshima Maru to receive an overview of its tuna longline fishery operations.
These exchanges further strengthened the special ties between Japan and Palau and underscored the importance of a shared commitment to marine conservation and sustainable fisheries, as well as international cooperation.