Sea slug ban lifted
Copyright 2000 Post-Courier (PNG)
December 15, 2000
THE National Fisheries Authority (NFA) will lift a moratorium on the harvesting of beche-de-mer in Milne Bay waters today, Governor Titus Philemon announced in Alotau yesterday.
The lifting of the ban will coincide with the approval and gazettal by the Fisheries Minister Ron Ganarafo of the Milne Bay provincial beche-de-mer fishery management plan.
NFA management has described the management plan as “the first and the best in the country”.
The Milne Bay Provincial Government, together with senior NFA officers and industry representatives, formulated the draft management plan at a two-day workshop in Alotau in September.
Governor Philemon and industry representatives argued strongly at the conference and urged NFA managing director Simon Tiller to lift the ban. It was agreed that the moratorium on beche-de-mer, also called sea slugs, would be lifted on December 15.
In a letter to NFA’s acting managing director Tatek Buraik on Wednesday, the Governor called on the management to lift the moratorium on the sea creatures as agreed.
“My government has made a commitment to the people and with the unanimous support of my Provincial Executive Council and administration, I intend to lift the moratorium on Friday, December 15,” Mr Philemon said.
The NFA imposed the moratorium at the end of September and it was to have remained in force until the end of January.
He said the ban had to be lifted to allow the people to harvest their resource and earn money.