The Fisheries Ministry is still putting together the new access fee for fishing ground or the qoliqoli access fee.

The access fee is basically paid to resource owners by anyone intending to use the qoliqoli for commercial purposes.

Currently, resource owners are not receiving any returns from those who are licensed to use their qoliqoli after the government placed an indefinite freeze on goodwill payment.

The proposed fees was initially tabled in 2017 and has undergone several review with Cabinet.

Fisheries Minister, Semi Koroilavesau told a talanoa session on Kioa Island, they had submitted the proposed access fees again to Cabinet for endorsement in its last sitting.

However, he says the paper was sent back to the Ministry for some changes.

The Ministry is working on those changes before the paper will be taken back to Cabinet for approval.

The access fees is different from license fees paid by fishermen.

90 percent of the access fees will go to the resource owners and 10 percent for administration costs.