Many fishing vessels entering our ports are not honestly reporting their catch.
Fisheries Enforcement Officer, Hilda Lobendahn says unreported fishing is an issue they face especially when conducting an inspection on the vessel.
Lobendahn says with the implementation of Port States Measures, it will help Fiji and the region look into this issue and also exclude illegal fishing vessels from visiting vulnerable nations with small administrations.
”It also gives the enforcement officers confidence in our work. The issue that we’re finding at the moment is unreported. There are most vessels that are coming in that are underreporting on their catch logs. When we notice that a breach is been done, that the captain has unfaithfully or untruthfully recorded his catch then we issue a notice so they’re fined.”
Having PSM in place will also ensure substantial revenue is not lost and the livelihood of Fijians in coastal waters will remain unaffected.
The Fisheries Ministry says these measures will also see there is sustainable management of fish stocks and reaffirmed the priorities reflected in Fiji’s Ocean Pathway.
