Fisheries Limits Vital To Curb Commercial Pressure
“Fisheries and in particular inshore fisheries are one of Fiji’s most important natural resources but its current state is something that needs to be looked into holistically,” said Deputy Secretary for Fisheries Sanaila Naqali
Key enforcement agencies and members of the judiciary held a workshop to improve the enforcement of laws regulating inshore fisheries in Fiji.
The National Inshore Fisheries Enforcement Workshop was held on Friday at Holiday Inn in Suva.
Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, Sanaila Naqali said the enforcement of fisheries laws and regulations is challenging in Fiji given the limited human and financial resources to support fisheries management and the size of Fiji’s inshore waters.
“The ministry cannot enforce all the fisheries laws on its own but we need the assistance of all its stakeholders and partners,” Mr Naqali said.
“Fisheries and in particular inshore fisheries are one of Fiji’s most important natural resources but its current state is something that needs to be looked into holistically,” he added.
“Fiji needs sustainable fisheries management and to get there we need good governance in our industry and amongst our communities and a vital part of good governance is compliance with the law.”
“Enforcement is a challenge because it means going out to sea, into our market places and enforcing the laws and regulations against people who are trying to earn a living. It also means working with laws that are in some cases, outdated, and it means working with rules of evidence that are hard to implement,” explained Mr Naqali.
The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Fisheries with support services from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Fiji Environmental Law Association (FELA) and funding from the David Lucile and Packard Foundation.
Source: Ministry of Fisheries
