Fishermen and sellers will be able to continue fishing and selling Kawakawa and Donu fish species come Monday.

The ban on harvesting, consumption and exporting of these fish species through the month of June to September that was imposed by the Fisheries Ministry will be lifted.

Director for Fisheries, Aisake Batibasaga, says during the ban, the Ministry had imposed hefty fines on those that illegally sold and bought the grouper fish within this period.

He says the ministry have finalized penalties on this issue which have come in forms of fines and confiscations of stock if found for the season ban.

“Someone who infringes the fish or consumes the fish and not selling it, that can take up penalty starting with $10,000 up to $50,000 if he keeps repeating those, but for corporate sector company that are taking it for commercial gain, the first infringement is $20,000 and that repetitive infringement for that company paying $100, 000.”

Batibasaga says come the next breeding season for these fish species, fishing companies will be required to present an export permit.

He adds if they fail to do so, the agents will face one to two years imprisonment depending on the infringement of exporting.