The National Fisheries Board has issued a gazettal notice permitting the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) to ban the use of stun guns in harvesting tropical lobsters in the Torres Strait and Western Province waters.
This also covers the use of any electric fishing spears for that purpose.
NFA’s Acting Managing Director, Justin Ilakini said the Fisheries Board, by virtue of powers vested on them under the Fisheries Act 1998 the Act as amended, all other powers enabling.
The Gazettal Notice #G337 prohibits all persons at all times, the use of Stun Guns or Electric Fishing spears to take or harvest Tropical Rock Lobster in the Torres Strait and Western Province Tropical Rock Lobster in fishery waters of Papua New Guinea.
In addition, this notice prohibits the buying, processing, selling, landing, sale, receiving, possession or export of Tropical Rock Lobster that are taken or harvested in breach of this prohibition.
“Breach of this prohibition notice is an offence under the Fisheries Management Act 1998 as amended and may subject an offender to severe penalties,” said Mr Ilakini.
The prohibition notice was effective as of April 28, 2022.