Source: Pacific Daily News
The Republic of Palau allows fishing vessels from several different nations to fish in its exclusive fishery zones, but the last time a Chinese fishing vessel was licensed by Palau was six years ago, according to a report prepared by the Palau government for last September’s Pacific Tuna Forum, in Koror, Palau.
Fishing vessels from Taiwan and Japan dominate Palau’s waters, catching mostly bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna -- 90 percent of which is sold in Japan, the report states.
Palau has a combination of near-shore and offshore exclusive fishery zones that extend 215 nautical miles from the shores of its islands and atolls.
It issues licenses to vessels from countries with valid fishing agreements with Palau, allowing them to use longline fishing methods. That means fishing lines with baited hooks.
A separate bilateral access agreement with Japan allows fishing vessels from that country to use longliners, purse seiners and pole-and-line fishing methods in Palau’s waters. Purse seiners use nets to catch fish.
The Palau government charges an export tax of 35 cents per kilogram of fish, fresh or frozen. Fish are weighed and recorded by government officials as they come off the vessel.
A July 2006 fisheries report prepared by Palau’s Bureau of Marine Resources notes the decline in the number of Chinese fishing vessels working Palau’s waters.
Chinese fishing vessels have been licensed to fish in Palau, the report states, but “Chinese vessels are decreasing in numbers due primarily to the inability of the fleet to compete with (the) Taiwanese fleet and make profits.â€
Most of the Chinese fishing fleet moved on to the Federated States of Micronesia in early 2003, the report states.
Forty-five Chinese fishing vessels were licensed to fish in Palau in 2001, the report states, but the number had dropped to only two by 2005.
And last September’s report for the Third Pacific Tuna Forum states no Chinese vessels have been licensed to fish in Palau since 2006, when there were three.