A new film launched today made from the first prize winning short
story entry in 2012 – Tuna a fish with a special place in my heart
by Ongerong Kambes Kesolei has been launched in the leadup to the PNA
Annual Meetings in Koror, Palau from 25 February-1 March.

Launched online today on Youtube, the short film
dramatizes Kesolei’s short story
, which tells of his life from
childhood to motherhood and as ‘an adult growing into middle age’ and
how tuna was there all along as a staple food and part of the
lifestyle in the capital city of Koror.

Dr Transform Aqorau said: “Last year we had many great stories about
tuna, its importance to our lifestyle in the Pacific and for the PNA
countries. This year PNA would like to encourage painters, sculptors,
filmmakers, dancers, musicians, and all forms of artists to enter the
competition. Thanks to our gold sponsor the National Fisheries
Authority, Papua New Guinea, we are able to make this year’s
competition even better than last year and I am looking forward to
seeing the entries from all the PNA countries.”

ABOUT THE PNA MEETINGS

PNA officials will meet in Koror, Palau, to discuss current issues
including fishing vessel numbers, the PNA Vessel Day Scheme, FADs and
other fisheries management issues and strategies for advancing the
PNA's agenda at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
(WCPFC). The PNA Ministers will meet on Friday March 1 to make
decisions on the officials recommendations.

HOW TO ENTER THE PNA/NFA WORLD TUNA DAY ART AND TALENT QUEST

Entries are open to nationals of Federated States of Micronesia,
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon
Islands or Tuvalu. Held by the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) of
Papua New Guinea with Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), the WORLD
TUNA DAY ART & TALENT QUEST will award a prize of $3000 USD for the
winning entry, fly the winner to our special prize giving ceremony,
feature winning work on the PNA’s websites and promote it in
international media around World Tuna Day on May 2.

How to enter
To enter create an artwork, performance or film on one or all these themes:

•       Pacific Tuna in the wild

•       Tuna and local cultures and lifestyles

•       Pacific ways of fishing for Tuna

•       Islanders working together to conserve and manage tuna

Email PNA your writing (poetry or short story max 5000 words),
pictures of your artwork, short films (20 minutes or less) or filmed
music, dance and drama performances. You must send all emails to
worldtunaday@pnatuna.com by 2 April 2013.

Entry is free. No late entries accepted. Entrants with winning artwork
and films will be required to submit these to the PNA office. Proof of
nationality will be required for the winning entry before prize is
awarded.

About our sponsors

Gold sponsor NFA is a non-commercial statutory authority with the
vision of “effectively managing our fisheries and marine resources for
sustainable and equitable benefits”. The largest such organization of
its kind in the PNA countries, NFA has a rich history of managing
sustainable development of fisheries. See www.fisheries.gov.pg for
more details.

Silver sponsors of the NFA/PNA World Tuna Day Art and Talent Quest are
fishing industry companies Frabelle and Trimarine.