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Tuvalu celebrated for the second time World Tuna Day this year 2020. The Ministry of Fisheries and Trade coordinated and organized activities for the public in celebrating this important day. Despite, the threat of COVID-19 to the people of Tuvalu, a lot of people did participate in competitions and enjoyed activities in celebrating the day and the lead up to it. Events mainly took place at the Tulaakiga Hall at Vaiaku from the 28th April to the 2nd of May 2020.
There were a lot of competitions and activities – more than last year. The event was started with competitions in colouring, drawing, posters, writing poems, paragraphs, essays and speeches. This engaged young people of all ages from Pre-schools, Primary schools, Secondary and University Foundation, with the great help of their schools and teachers. Other events comprised the song competition, futsal and volleyball tournaments, swimming competition, eating competition, Tuvaluan canoe racing and the fishing competition.
The programme for activities started on Tuesday the 28th April with the students engaged in drawing, colouring, poems, paragraphs, essay writing and speeches. On Thursday the 30th April was the opening ceremony of the event, followed by the song competition and the fishing competition. The prize for the biggest tuna was won with a yellowfin tuna of 98 centimeters long. The prize for the most fish was won with the amount of 6 yellowfin tuna.
The Acting Minister for Fisheries and Trade Hon. Ampelosa Tehulu, posed the following question in his speech during the Opening ceremony: “If this species, tuna, is our hope and pride, as a Tuvaluan, what is your contribution to preserve our hope, what is your contribution to preserve our pride in order to keep within us this precious hope and to have pride in the significance of this precious asset to our country Tuvalu?”
The Ministry of Fisheries and Trade also invited the Fusialofa (association for the disabled) and the Spar boxing group to entertain during the world tuna events, as well as dancing groups from the two secondary schools. The programme ended with the formal closing dinner in the evening of 2nd May at the Funafuti Lagoon Hotel attended by the Prime Minister and other Ministers. Winners of all the activities and competitions were awarded their prizes during the closing dinner.
Tuna species are vitally important in terms of food security for the people of Tuvalu and for the national economy. Tuvalu is an active member of all the regional organisations involved in tuna fisheries – PNA, FFA, SPC and WCPFC.
Below are tables showing the prize winners for all competitions during activities of the World Tuna Day 2020. Prizes were donated by six tuna fishing companies that are bilateral partners of Tuvalu: Sajo, Shilla, Dongwon, Fong Kuo, RD Tuna, and Fairwell. Their generous support for the World Tuna Day programme is greatly appreciated by the Ministry of Fisheries and Trade.
COLOURING COMPETITION
PRE-SCHOOL CATEGORY
AGE: 3
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Tarantewea Tepa | Olave Oakley |
| 2nd | Pouta Falaoa | Vaiaku |
| 3rd | Jack Pedro | A.O.G |
AGE: 4
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Fialei Kelesi | Vaiaku |
| 2nd | Selinda Patala | Lofeagai |
| 3rd | Gloria Samasoni | A.O.G |
AGE: 5
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Jnr Pogia Tateua | Lofeagai |
| 2nd | Lupemua | A.O.G |
| 3rd | Esita Vaevalu | Vaiaku |
CLASS 1 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Vineta Kaitumana | NPS |
| 2nd | Tausili James | NPS |
| 3rd | Vinny Kerry | NPS |
DRAWING COMPETITION
CLASS 2 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1ST | Losa | SDA |
| 2ND | Nuku Iosefa | NPS |
| 3RD | Lakei Simeona | NPS |
CLASS 3 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Suligita Pogia | NPS |
| 2nd | Atiriana | NPS |
| 3rd | Kamari Kalafaga | NPS |
CLASS 4 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Taulau | NPS |
| 2nd | Maleta M | NPS |
| 3rd | Iafeta Ioane | SDA |
POSTER COMPETITION
CLASS 5 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Loise Kim | SDA |
| 2nd | Wilshere Manraoi | SDA |
| 3rd | Ulia Molesi | SDA |
CLASS 6 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Telaufatu Letia | NPS |
| 2nd | Azleen F | SDA |
| 3rd | Cinta Tupulaga | NPS |
POETRY COMPETITION
CLASS 7/FORM 1 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Seuila Sagapolutele | NPS |
| 2nd | Alieni Pine | NPS |
| 3rd | Paae Tavei | SDA |
CLASS 8/FORM 2 CATEGORY
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Lily Pugameau | NPS |
| 2nd | Joe Taualo | NPS |
| 3rd | Lakera Ioane | SDA |
PARAGRAPH WRITING COMPETITION
FORM 3
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Miliifatoaga Galau Lauti | MSS |
| 2nd | Milly-aina Teitala | MSS |
| 3rd | Mililani Homasi | MSS |
FORM 4
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Nina Rosie Managreve | MSS |
| 2nd | Kausea George | FSS |
| 3rd | Lulia Laupane | FSS |
ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION
FORM 5
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Maike Pugameau | FSS |
| 2nd | Esther Eterina Maheu | FSS |
| 3rd | Kenneth Jnr Green | FSS |
SPEECH COMPETITION
FORM 6
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Roling Pugameau | FSS |
| 2nd | Vaioita Polau | FSS |
| 3rd | Thomas Ituaso | MSS |
| 4th | Raijeli Isala | FSS |
FORM 7/FOUNDATION USP
| Position | Name | School |
| 1st | Makelita Leota | USP |
| 2nd | Tele Vailagi | MSS |
| 3rd | Harry Fousaga | USP |
| Song Competition | Names |
| Single Category | |
| 1st prize | Lilly Pugameau |
| 2nd Prize | Tusaga Iosefa |
| 3rd Prize | Lauolive Faila |
| Group Category | |
| 1st Prize | Romalive Sisters |
| Fishing Competition | Names |
| Biggest Fish | |
| 1st – 98cm | Talavalu Lipua |
| 2nd – 85cm | Simeona Italeli |
| 3rd – 64cm | Talavalu Lipua |
| Most amount of fish pieces | |
| 1st – 6 pieces | Talavalu Lipua |
| 2nd – 5 pieces | Kauvaka Siuele |
| 3rd – 3 pieces | Taukili & Tekiata |
| Eating Competition | Names |
| Men’s Category | |
| 1st | Josh Tupata |
| 2nd | Toma |
| 3rd | Kwillan O’Brien |
| Women’sCategory | |
| 1st | Lei Aso |
| 2nd | Liufale |
| 3rd | Jonimila Isala |
| Raw Tuna Dish Competition | Names |
| 1st – 2 ties | Charles Leepo and Futuna Frank |
| 2nd | Mahu Tinapa |
| 3rd – 2 ties | Salini Uliamu and Tapua Pasuna |
| Canoeing Competition | Names |
| 1st | Sitepu |
| 2nd | Josh Tupata |
| 3rd | Logotau Tealagali |
| Swimming Competition | Names |
| Men’s Category | |
| 1st | Fini Iuni |
| 2nd | Siona Siona |
| 3rd | Darren Failautusi |
| Women’s Category | |
| 1st | Taumafai Tinapa |
| 2nd | Esther Tomasi |
| 3rd | Trish Drecala Lifuka |
| Volleyball Tournament (Women) | Names |
| 1st | Haapai team |
| 2nd | Niutao team |
| 3rd | Nauti team |
| Best female Player | Tealalei Tauanoa |
| Futsal Tournament (Men) | Names |
| 1st | Chinatown Club |
| 2nd | Tubamba Club |
| 3rd | COVID-19 Club |
| Best Player | Nelesone Kiula (Chinatown) |
| Top Scorer | Teuati Titivalu (Nauti Youth) |