The first fisheries plant for Vanuatu, a joint venture 15 years in the making by the government and Chinese company China National Fishery Corporation (CNFC) is being launched today, reported RNZand the Daily Post.

According to Matai Seremaiah, Vanuatu's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Biosecurity, CNFC has already put $1 million (€899,320) in funding as a deposit towards the project.

The plant will allow approved Chinese fishing vessels to offload tuna catches at the plant instead of Fiji, Seremaiah said.

The new facility is expected to open next month.