Page 29 - IB MAR 2017

Fisheries

Fishing

boom

Industry sees huge last quarter

Busy season ... PNA members reported a big catch in our waters. Photo: File
DESPITE industry complaints that fish- reduction in fishing from 2008-11 fish- nuity over change with an election that
ing has been on the wane, the Parties ing levels in order to return the bigeye returned many to power in the territory’s
to the Nauru Agreement Office reported stock to healthy levels. representative body, the Fono.
that effort in PNA waters in the last Additional maritime security is ex- Tokelau participates in the PNA’s Ves-
quarter of 2016 was the highest quar- pected to play a large role this year in sel Day Scheme and in recent years have
terly achievement in 30 months. ensuring compliance by larger fishing become more assertive regarding their
Operators used 3586 days in the final nations in Pacific waters. fishing rights and development.
quarter of 2016, up from 2014’s last Already, Palau has signalled its inten- Meanwhile, Nauru reported its bilat-
quarter of 3292. tions in this area with President Tommy eral negotiations for fishing access had
Effort is the number of tonnes or E. Remengesau Jr performing the ground concluded successfully last year with
number of actual fish caught over a day. breaking ceremony for the construc- deals for around $AUD4 million secured
Taking a longer view, effort (fishing) tion of a new wharf for patrol boats on for 2017.
has reduced since 2011 when the last January 23. A $1million deal was signed with RD
quarter days were around 1000 metric Construction will include an adminis- Fisheries of Philippines, a new partner
tonnes more, standing at 4516. trative building to house the operations for Nauru, with more deals expected
However, there was no change to the of the Division of Marine Law Enforce- and a $3million deal was inked with the
industry practice of the importance of the ment (DMLE) — a project funded with Korea Overseas Fisheries Agency.
last quarter, with most days used over grant from Nippon Foundation and the The Minister of Fisheries, reporting to
the past six years generally occurring in Sasakawa Peace Foundation at a cost of Parliament on progress, said these deals
this end-year rush. $USD34 million that is part of a 10-year had been secured despite low fish prices
Meanwhile, the Western and Central $70 million assistance provided by the and La Nina favouring countries to the
Pacific Fisheries Commission Secretariat two foundations. West.qPNA
reported that Taiwan, China and the US Palau National Marine Sanctuary Ex-
had all notified the WCPFC they had ecutive Director Keobel Sakuma said a ABOUT THE PNA: The Parties to the Nauru
reached 90 per cent of their catch limit local construction company Surangel and Agreement (PNA) are eight Pacific Island coun-
for 2016. Sons Co. won the bidding to construct tries that control the world’s largest sustain-
Under the 2015 Conservation and the $34 million new infrastructure. Sa- able tuna purse seine fishery supplying 50
Management Measure, fishing nations kuma said the local industry will further percent of the world’s skipjack tuna (a popular
are upposed to update the Commission benefit from it as 10 new patrol officers tuna for canned products). They are Federated
monthly of their catch, with each mem- will be hired and local engineers will be States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,
ber being allocated a catch limit. hired too for the vessels. On the opposite Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon
Scientists have advised a 36 per cent side of the Pacific, Tokelau chose conti- Islands, and Tuvalu.

Islands Business March 2017 29