News

Fisheries Ministry to finalize penalities

June 4, 2018 7:12 pm

The Fisheries Ministry will soon penalize those who catch and sell Kawakawa and Donu from this month to September which is the peak breeding season for these reef fish.

Minister,Semi Koroilavesau says they’re expected to finalize the penalties by the end of this week.

He says close to eighty percent of Fiji’s Kawakawa and Donu breeding sites have either declined or have died out.

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“Penalties will basically be confiscation of the catch and then there will be fines. It will be basically in line with the penalties system that exists now like for beach-der-mer and other species that we have placed on ban. We are currently working on the legal aspects of it so we can then work out the appropriate penalties for people who are caught still carrying out activities.”

He is urging Fijians to refrain from buying, selling and consuming these two fish species so that there’s enough to go around for the future generation.

The ministry says they will be working with enforcement officers from other agencies to monitor all fish markets and the usual selling spots.