Northern fisheries officer clarifies beche-de-mer trading rules

Ministry of Fisheries Principal Fisheries Officer North Tekata Toaisi says there are eight approved beche-de-mer buyers who are aware of designated landing sites and operating hours.

Mr Toaisi said buyers are required to be present at designated landing sites, including Fisheries stations, from 8am to 4pm on weekdays only.

“This is part of the agreement when buyers were selected to support communities,” he said.

He said using Fisheries stations as landing sites would improve data collection and deter illegal fishers from harvesting and trading beche-de-mer without proper licences.

Meanwhile, beche-de-mer sellers have called on the Ministry to urgently address delays and conditions at the Labasa Fisheries Office.

Apisalome Vakabua of Naduri Village in Macuata Province said many sellers were unaware they had to travel to the Fisheries Office to sell their catch.

“We have to wait in queues here. Before, we used to sell our beche-de-mer to middlemen who came to our village and we never had to travel this far from our home,” Vakabua said.

“This adds to our expenses because we have to hire transport and cover the costs ourselves.”

He said sellers waited all day in the rain last week without progress.

“We sell sea cucumbers depending on their size, but since morning nothing has happened,” he said.

Vakabua said there had been no prior awareness or official communication from the Ministry informing sellers of the new process.

“This was not circulated in our village and many of us were not aware,” he said.

Another seller, Ratu Peni Moimoi of Nabukadogo Village in Macuata Province, said middlemen no longer visited their villages, forcing them to travel to Labasa to sell their catch.

“We have travelled a long way just to come to Labasa town to sell beche-de-mer,” he said.

“We no longer earn enough money. Hiring transport to come here costs about $150.”

Moimoi said sellers were still receiving the same prices despite increased costs.

“We are divers as well. It is risky and difficult to harvest sea cucumbers, especially during rainy and challenging weather conditions,” he said.

The 31-year-old said beche-de-mer harvesting is currently his family’s main source of income.

“We were not fully aware that we now have to come directly to the Labasa Fisheries Office to sell,” he said.

“This is our income and we are worried that most of our earnings will now go towards expenses.”

The Ministry has advised that harvesting and trading are restricted to permissible species only. Licensed sea cucumber harvesters are required to trade at approved landing sites, including nearby Fisheries stations.

All approved beche-de-mer companies must purchase sea cucumbers from these designated sites during official trading hours.