Beche-de-mer

This was a concern to Manus Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, when he sent his officers to investigate two incidents reported to Police on the 5^th and 7^th of this month.

Yapu said a 41-year-old man went out diving on Monday October 5^th and did not return home. His body was found floating near Patu and Tawi Island two days later.

In a separate incident on Wednesday 7^th October, four young men from Baluan Island went diving for sea cucumber near Sibisa Island when a shark attacked one of them.

Fisheries Minister, Dr Lino Tom, made this known during the signing of a memorandum of agreement in Lae.

The Morobe Provincial Government and National Fisheries Authority signed a memorandum of agreement on Friday, the 31^st of July, at the Lae International Hotel.

The MOA will facilitate income generation for Morobe Province. Fisheries Minister, Dr Tom, said this aligns with the national government’s policy as well as his key performance indicator, which is to ensure the average Papua New Guinean experiences tangible benefits.  

This follows issues encountered during this year’s open season. 

Following the uplifting of the moratorium on beche-de-mer by Government, the National Fisheries Authority opened the harvesting season this April.

Coastal provinces grabbed the opportunity and raced out to fish for sea cucumbers, as they generate good money.

However, because of sustainability, NFA as the regulating body put in place Total Allowable Catch or TACs for each province.

According to the NFA managing director, John Kasu, all provinces have already reached their TACs.

A judicial official will be present to witness the destruction.

The HMPNGS Buna will tow the two illegal vessel to their sinking site outside Port Moresby.

The vessels were used by 50 Vietnamese fishermen that had been fishing in PNG waters off Budibidi Island in Milne Bay Province on December 22, 2016.

They were apprehended by the PNG Defence Force naval ship HPNGS Seadler.

A total of 77 drums of beche-de-mer (sea cucumbers) were found on board the foreign vessels.

Zeming said he was satisfied the six year moratorium on the harvest of bech-de-mer has produced the result the Government and National Fisheries Authority wanted.

“There has been some suggestions from sections of our community that the ban has forced coastal villagers to illegally fish for sea cucumber just to survive.

“Certain individuals have even gone to the media to justify, to defend illegal fishing in their waters, as if the moratorium was intended to put them out of business, or make people suffer.