In 1984, following a fishing competition, over $1,500 worth of prizes and fishing equipment were awarded to the top fishing group and individuals in the Western Division. According to a report from The Fiji Times dated March 12 of that year, the Ratu Busa group from Yaqeta Village in Yasawa won the award for best fishing group, while Muttap Reddy from Nacovi, Nadi, received the accolade for top individual fisherman.
The Ratu Busa group was presented with several prizes, including a 15-horsepower outboard motor, a transistor radio, fishing lines, an engine tank, and a carton of canned fish. Additionally, team leader Kini Jioji Rakata received tickets from Fiji Air to visit the Pacific Fishing Company canning factory in Levuka. Meanwhile, Mr. Reddy’s rewards comprised fishing gear, including fish lines and hooks, as well as canned fish and a sack of flour.
Farouk Sahu Khan, the Divisional Planning Officer for Western at the time, was responsible for handing out the awards. The report noted that the Ratu Busa group, established in 1977, owned two 8.5-meter fishing boats, a 7.5-meter punt with a 28-horsepower engine, a Kaia fishing net, two monofilament gill nets, and four sets of deep-water snapper lines. The group utilized the income generated from their fishing activities to construct two three-bedroom concrete houses in their village.
They initially launched their project with an $8,300 grant from New Zealand Aid, which contributed to the purchase of a $9,500 boat, while financing the remainder through a loan from the Fiji Development Bank. Mr. Reddy began his fishing career in 1970 and operated a half-cabin boat measuring 7 meters by 5 meters with a 40-horsepower engine, alongside a two-by-three-meter open punt, monofilament gill nets, and a 39-meter turtle net. He also built a two-bedroom concrete house on land leased from the crown, utilizing profits from his fishing endeavors.
The Fisheries Department established criteria for the competition that considered the performance of fishermen, their ability to repay loans, and the provision of catch information for data compilation.