HELP PPFISCH FOUNDATION

A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

As an adjunct to this enterprise, a non-for-profit organization will be installed to systematically deploy research teams working in tandem with government agencies to develop and implement humanitarian and educational projects. This organization is referred to as HELP PPFISCH (pron. "help fish"), which is acronym for "Help, Protect, Propagate, and Farm Island Sea Cucumber Holothorians".  HELP PPFISCH  is an entrepreneurial 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, established in 2005, that is designed to foster the efficient and restorative use of resources to make the Pacific Rim secure, prosperous, and life sustaining. This will be done by working collaboratively with business, civil society, and government to design and develop integrative solutions for implementation to leverage the various aquaculture resources for eliminating poverty, sustain the natural environment and society, promote economic development and designate the island countries active and prominent participants in the global community.

Through these integrative solutions businesses, communities, individuals, and governments will learn how to create more wealth and employment, protect and enhance natural and human capital, increase profit and competitive advantage, and enjoy many other benefits—largely by doing what they do far more efficiently.

One primarily needed project would be teaching aquaculture methodology to island communities that will serve to promote sustainable human, environmental, and social development in the Tropical Pacific Region, where unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high. Introduction and utilization of new aquaculture technology and methodology will insure dramatic contribute to increases in PAC's productivity, customer base, and resulting success while enabling native islanders to become better stewards of their aqua rich environment and ecosystem. This will also enable native islanders to learn about the various aqua rich resources that are both useful and valuable to the global community, which will result in expanding the existing aquaculture industry while simultaneously increasing the per capita earnings of the island communities.

Further environmental projects that would be developed and implemented by HELP PPFISCH research team in collaboration with PAC and in alignment with government and aquaculture industry priorities would be a systematic biological research program to identify remaining critical habitat for endangered holothurian species. An outgrowth of this endeavor would be the need to create a Pacific wide network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) throughout the lagoon regions of the Pacific Atolls that foster sustainable programs and efforts.

1. A Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee

The Pacific Aquaculture Cooperatives Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (PACSTAC) will provide scientific and technical guidance to the PAC Program on measures to restore and protect the South Pacific Atolls from the endangerment of sea cucumbers and other holothurian species. As an advisory committee, PACSTAC will report quarterly to the PAC and HELP PPFISCH .

Beginning at its inception, PACSTAC will work to enhance scientific communication and outreach throughout the South Pacific and beyond. PACSTAC will provide scientific and technical advice in various ways, including (1) technical reports and papers, (2) discussion groups, (3) assistance in organizing merit reviews of HELP PPFISCH programs and projects, (4) technical conferences and workshops, and (5) service by PACSTAC members on HELP PPFISCH subcommittees and workgroups.

2. An Aquaculture Industry Development Fund

A top priority for HELP PPFISCH in relation to the aquaculture industry is to further improve its profitability, international competitiveness and social resilience. To help to meet that priority HELP PPFISCH, with assistance from the PAC, will set up a Aquaculture Industry Development Fund, which:

Provides funding support for industry development projects;

Supports "close-to-market" projects that require relatively small amounts of funding; and

Provides accessible funding for industry-driven projects focused on practical outputs.