Live Reef Fish News from Palau
Blog Site Claims 'Live Catch' Operations Threatening Reef Fish Stock
Pacific Magazine Daily News
By David Miho in Koror
Friday: November 30, 2007
A blog site run by an executive from one of Palau’s top dive companies claims that a large-scale “live catch” fish operation is operating at one of the country’s most pristine fishing grounds.
Dermot Keane’s blog, www.samstours.com/blog, says the practice has been taking place in remote Kayangel State, but may be moving to Ngeremlengui State on Babeldaob. Keane is an executive with Sam’s Tours, which is located in Koror.
He says the practice has apparently been going on for a year. The operation catches grouper and other reef fish, places them in pens, and then transfers the live fish to mother ships for transport to Hong Kong or Taiwan.
The alleged “catcher” ships involved are the Pancasona Jaya II and F/V Chau Fu Keung and the “mother” ship is the F/V Fung Kin Man.
“While it all sounds very innocent the highly destructive practice can wipe out targeted species in a matter of months. Nearby Indonesia is already suffering the devastating effects of this absolutely unsustainable practice which has apparently destroyed formerly healthy fish populations that for generations have sustained local populations,” Kean writes.
The government of Palau has extensive laws regulating foreign fishing with restrictions, regulatory requirements, fishing zones and bans against shark fining but the Kayangel State operation may not be covered by those laws and the relatively short closed season for grouper. Outside of the closed season, there are no restrictions on grouper take, including size or bag limits.
Though Marine Law Enforcement and Palau's Attorney General's Office have aggressively pursued and prosecuted violators of Palau's fishing laws, they may be helpless without appropriate legislation to close the existing loopholes while hundreds or thousands of pounds of the prized fish are caught, penned and eventually shipped to foreign destinations without restrictions, taxes or marine environmental concern.
“So who will outwit, outplay and outlast whom? And who will be the survivor? Surely not the fish stocks of Kayangel’s reefs or the local citizens of Kayangel? And who cares anyway? Certainly not the fishing companies for as soon as Kayangel’s reefs are stripped bare this fishing company will simply relocate operations elsewhere and begin their deceit and destruction all over again.
“While foreign companies may be the ones running these fisheries it is Kayangel State officials who must answer for allowing this practice, as only they can authorize it, and therefore they are accountable for the results,” Keane writes in his blog.
Pacific Magazine Daily News
By David Miho in Koror
Friday: November 30, 2007
A blog site run by an executive from one of Palau’s top dive companies claims that a large-scale “live catch” fish operation is operating at one of the country’s most pristine fishing grounds.
Dermot Keane’s blog, www.samstours.com/blog, says the practice has been taking place in remote Kayangel State, but may be moving to Ngeremlengui State on Babeldaob. Keane is an executive with Sam’s Tours, which is located in Koror.
He says the practice has apparently been going on for a year. The operation catches grouper and other reef fish, places them in pens, and then transfers the live fish to mother ships for transport to Hong Kong or Taiwan.
The alleged “catcher” ships involved are the Pancasona Jaya II and F/V Chau Fu Keung and the “mother” ship is the F/V Fung Kin Man.
“While it all sounds very innocent the highly destructive practice can wipe out targeted species in a matter of months. Nearby Indonesia is already suffering the devastating effects of this absolutely unsustainable practice which has apparently destroyed formerly healthy fish populations that for generations have sustained local populations,” Kean writes.
The government of Palau has extensive laws regulating foreign fishing with restrictions, regulatory requirements, fishing zones and bans against shark fining but the Kayangel State operation may not be covered by those laws and the relatively short closed season for grouper. Outside of the closed season, there are no restrictions on grouper take, including size or bag limits.
Though Marine Law Enforcement and Palau's Attorney General's Office have aggressively pursued and prosecuted violators of Palau's fishing laws, they may be helpless without appropriate legislation to close the existing loopholes while hundreds or thousands of pounds of the prized fish are caught, penned and eventually shipped to foreign destinations without restrictions, taxes or marine environmental concern.
“So who will outwit, outplay and outlast whom? And who will be the survivor? Surely not the fish stocks of Kayangel’s reefs or the local citizens of Kayangel? And who cares anyway? Certainly not the fishing companies for as soon as Kayangel’s reefs are stripped bare this fishing company will simply relocate operations elsewhere and begin their deceit and destruction all over again.
“While foreign companies may be the ones running these fisheries it is Kayangel State officials who must answer for allowing this practice, as only they can authorize it, and therefore they are accountable for the results,” Keane writes in his blog.