illegal fishing

Illegal fishing boat concerns islanders

The fishing boat, of Asian origin, has now stirred up fear amongst islanders as the boat’s crew is suspected of being in possession of firearms.

A disaster coordinator on Bougainville said the ship was sighted by locals and has been there for quite a while now.

“We received the report and alerted the police here in Buka, a joint task force was formed consisting of members of the Bougainville Police Service and ex-combatants, who were then deployed to inspect and do reconnaissance work,” Franklyn Lacey said.

Vessel with 200 drums full of sea cucumber impounded

Alotau’s Provincial Police Commander Joseph Morehari says 13 people were apprehended; 11 Koreans and two Filipinos were interrogated.

They were later charged and arrested.

Islanders have been reporting to police about having sighted vessels in the nearby islands fishing for sea cucumbers which were protected by a cessation.

All the sea cucumbers on the vessel have been removed and the boat has been impounded to be inspected.

Picture Source: Loop file picture

Tougher measures needed on Pacific tuna fishery

However, the financial damage island states are suffering is less than previously estimated - with improved fisheries policing given some of the credit.

The 17-member Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), which New Zealand belongs to, released its study into illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region on Tuesday.

The FFA said its “best estimate” was that IUU tuna fishing deprived Pacific nations heavily reliant on rich territorial tuna stocks of more than US$224 million per year. 

International cooperation key to stopping illegal fishing

Illegal fishing can also through sharing of information by Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) practitioners around the globe.

“No nation is immune to illegal fishing activities. We must all work together whether that be at bilateral, regional or international frameworks to target and eliminate what is internationally recognized as environmental crime,” according to Martyn Dunne, Director General for host New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). 

Temporary ban on tuna fishing in the Pacific

The changes, it explained, are in line with the resolutions of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), of which Mexico is a party.

This measure also applies to boats from the Mexican flagged purse seine fleet fishing for these species in the high seas and in foreign jurisdictional waters that are in the IATTC regulated area.

Greenpeace calls for investigation into illegal fishing by Taiwanese ship

“We are still tracking the Shuen De Ching No.888 and we have supplied all our information to the nations where the ship might pull into their ports, including Papua New Guinea, Nauru and Fiji.

“We think it is vital for Pacific nations to investigate this ship to show that illegal fishing will not be tolerated, particularly as the region tries to develop a sustainable fisheries industry,” said Lagi Toribau, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Global Tuna campaigner from aboard Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship.

US, China to cooperate on ocean preservation

Secretary of State John Kerry says that indicates the two nations are "working hard to address differences and to find the areas of commonality."

The two governments discussed ocean policy on the final day Wednesday of high-level talks on security and the economy.

Despite growing tensions over cybertheft and China's island-building in the disputed South China Sea, the U.S. and China are stressing how they can work together on less contentious issues, such as climate change.