Roadshow on Moratorium
BELAIT, 12
April 2007, Thursday - THE Fisheries Department brought its roadshow on
a recently-declared moratorium on fishing operations to the Belait
District.
The talk at the Kampung
Pandan Community Centre was to inform relevant parties of the temporary
ban on fishing in Zone One, an area which extends from Brunei's
coastline to three nautical miles out to sea. The ban is scheduled to
take effect on January 1, 2008.
The suspension was imposed
to relieve pressure and allow the natural replenishment of resources in
the respective zone where the majority of fishing activities occur.
Authorities observed a sharp decline in sea fisheries resources, of as
much as 43 per cent since 1990, and correlations in statistics on yield
and the different methods of capture used.
The specifics of the
moratorium will require fishing companies to move their activities from
Zone One to Two, which covers three to 20 nautical miles away from the
shore. Only licenced self-employed (or "full-time") fishermen will be
allowed to remain in Zone One, although new licences over an undefined
period will be asked to work in Zone Two.
Mass capture methods which
require semi-permanent installations, such as barriers and deep-water
fish corrals will be exempt from the ban. The talks, delivered by
officers of the department explained in details the new restrictions and
on the act concerned. It was attended by around 21 people in the
fisheries business.
- Courtesy of the
Brunei Times -
