Beche-de-mer fishery closure

The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) beche-de-mer (sea cucumber) fishery closure will remain close until May 31 this year.
NFA Executive Manager Fisheries Management Unit, Leban Gisawa said this was consistent with the revised Bech-de-mer Fishery Management Plan which has been approved by the National Fisheries Board and would be published in due course through the National Gazette.
According to an advertisement in this paper last week, he urged bechede- mer fishermen and fisher women, sellers, buyers, exporters and the general public that the fishery would remain closed.
He said no fishing, selling and buying of beche-de-mer was to take place during the extended closure period.
“It is illegal for any person to engage in taking, harvesting, selling, buying, processing and or exporting of bech-de-mer during this time.”
The ban on the 14 maritime provinces of Papua New Guinea was imposed in 2009, to replenish the stock because of over fishing.