LOCAL FISHERMEN WELCOMED NEW FISHERIES ACT
A boy selling his family’s catch at the Honiara main market. Photo credit: Green Peace.
Fishermen in Mbita’ama, North Malaita have welcomed the new Fisheries Management Act saying this is a positive move from the Democratic Coalition for Change Government.
SIBC’s stringer in the area, John Andrew Kiri says the fishing community in Mbita’ama made many calls in the past to the Fisheries Ministry to control illegal fishing in seas in their region.
Kiri reports the new Fisheries Management Act has been welcomed by the fishermen.
“For so long fishermen in North Malaita have been calling on the Ministry of Fisheries to control the illegal fishing activities by fishing vessels, which would often fish around their locally built and owned rafts.But with the new Fisheries Management Act passed in parliament on April 24th this year, the local fishermen have expressed gratitude for its passage as this will deal with illegal fishing in the area.”
The SIBC Stringer also reports fishermen are concerned with how the Fisheries Management Act will be implemented effectively to protect local fishing grounds.
The Fisheries Management Act was passed by Parliament last month.