HOPES TURNED LOW FOR NORTH MALAITA FISHERMEN OVER MISSING RAFT
Fishermen at sea. Photo credit: www.japanfocus.org
Over a 150 fishermen in North Malaita have expressed their unhappiness over a newly launched fishing raft which went missing two weeks after it was installed by the Fisheries authority.
Launched on 8th July this year, the raft is an initiative by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to help local fishermen earn more from fishing as well as manage the country’s fisheries resources.
SIBC’s Bita’ama stinger John Andrew Kiri reports the fishermen were informed yesterday by two of their colleagues that the raft has gone missing.
“In their meeting yesterday the fishermen of Mamafua and Manakafo were informed by two of their colleagues Mr Rex Eteri and Mr John Bishop that the raft has gone missing. They have tried locating its whereabouts but were unable to, a sad news indeed for the fishermen yesterday.”
Meanwhile, Mr Kiri says the fishermen are calling on surrounding coastal communities to report to the fishermen any sightings of the raft as they believed it could be drifting along strong currents.