Jan
1 Ban on Inshore Commercial Fishing
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN -
Starting January 1, 2008, the Department of Fisheries will be imposing a
moratorium, or temporary ban, on commercial fishing within the area
spanning from the shoreline to three nautical miles of Brunei's coastal
waters.
Instead, all fishing
activities within this area - known as Zone 1 - will be limited to
individual, small-scale fishing.
The move signals the
department's commitment to manage Brunei's fisheries resources
sustainably.
According to Fisheries
Officer, Awang Matzaini Haji Juna, studies undertaken by the department
have indicated a lessening of fisheries resources particularly in Zone
1.
This has prompted the
department to consider the moratorium, to prevent overfishing and enable
a revitalisation of the natural resources in the area.
There are also plans for
coastal sanctuaries within the zone, which would also explain the need
for the moratorium, but Awang Matzaini said that these are still under
consideration.
He explained that under the
moratorium, which extends throughout the whole coastal area of Brunei,
including Brunei Bay, only individual full-time and part-time operators
may resume their activities within Zone 1 come 2008, adhering to
specified limits and regulations.
According to the Southeast
Asian Fisheries Development Centre, the commercial fisheries sector in
Brunei comprise the trawlers, purse seiners and longliners, while
small-scale fishermen are those that use outboard engines to reach the
fishing destinations and operate small-scale fishing gears such as
trammel nets, pots and hook and line.
Meanwhile, commercial
operators as well as newly registered individual fishing operators will
be required to carry out their activities in Zone 2, between three to 20
nautical miles from the shoreline.
Apart from operator
limitations, the use of certain fishing gears will also undergo
restrictions, said Awang Matzaini. This measure is taken also to reduce
the occurrence of overfishing, as the capacity of some equipment such as
nets may exceed the quota of capture.
Before imposing the
moratorium, the Fisheries Department will conduct a roadshow throughout
the nation to inform those concerned about the new restriction.
The first roadshow will be
held in the Brunei Muara district on March 20 at the Ministry of
Industry and Primary Resources and in Tutong on April 12. Meanwhile
separate roadshows for the Tutong and Temburong districts would be held
in May, said Awang Matzaini.
The roadshow is targeted
for mukim and village heads, who would in turn inform their community
members of the moratorium, and in particular commercial fishermen.
Brunei Darussalam has a
coastline of 130km and a total marine territorial area of 38,600 sq km
with potential resources estimated at a maximum economic yield of 21,300
tonnes. Its fishing area is separated into four separate zones for
easier management, with Zone 3 and Zone 4 covering the areas between 20
to 45 and 45 to 200 nautical miles respectively.
According to the Fisheries
Department website, Brunei has one of the highest per capita fish
consumption in the region at around 45 kilos per year.
This translates to a total
annual consumption of fish at about 15,500 tonnes. Given the high demand
for fish and relative shortage of local fishermen, Brunei still has to
import about 50 per cent of its fish needs to supplement the local
production.
- Courtesy of
The Brunei Times -
