Reformed illegal trader launches fishing company in Western

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
A REFORMED illegal fish trader has launched a fishing company to discourage illegal trading of marine resources with Indonesians in Western.
Fimirose Marine Resource managing director Andrew Kelai, who used to facilitate illegal trading of marine products such as jewfish mau, shark fins and sea cucumbers with Indonesians in Merauke City is set to start legal trading after obtaining licence from the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) on Saturday.
These marine products are a delicacy in Asian restaurants and can fetch up to US$400 (K1,362) per kg.
Kelai said on Saturday that he had made over K3million in illegal trading with Indonesians over 11 years and had frequently appeared before the Daru District Court for illegally trading fish products.
“The highest fine I paid was K7,000 for breaching the NFA Act,” Kelai said during the groundbreaking ceremony of his fish plant in Katawa village, South Fly district, Western.
“But I have realised that I was just a slave on my own rich resources and was working for foreigners.
“It came a time when a joint border agency team did awareness in the village in 2013, they called me out because my name was on the transnational criminal list after someone reported me to the Government intelligence officers.
“They told me to stop because I was supporting a foreign economy,” Kelai said.
“So I approached the NFA advisers in Daru and they helped me register my company Fimirose Marine Resource and I applied for a fishing licence,” he said.
When receiving the trade licence from NFA officer Odoni Koloni, Kelai said he would start a fish processing plant in the village.
“I’m now a legal trader and will start buying fish mau, trochus (conch shells) and shark fins and later, I will apply for a beche-de-mer licence,” he said.
Kelai said he would buy these products locally to help bring income and development to the local people and was thankful to NFA for giving him licence.
Kelai, 31, who only completed grade six said his aim was to learn about trading of marine products.
“I started trading illegally in 2003 but stopped in 2013.
“I only wanted to learn the business which I have successfully learnt and now I have good markets in Indonesia, Singapore and China.”