Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) Moses Garu during the official opening of a dolphin seminar, said dolphin is a vital marine resource.
Mr Garu said the government always advocates for sustainable usage of marine resources.
He said a dolphin Assessment and Monitoring Project had been conducted in late 2008 and was a collaborative work between the South Pacific Whale Research(SPWR),Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP).
He said the aim of the project was to gain healthy scientific socio economic information to increase the understanding of the Solomon island Sea.
“In 2004 Rapid Marine Assessment Program (RMAP) led by the Nature Conservancy (TNC) found out 11 species of cetaceans in Solomon waters.
“It was recommended that thorough and detailed surveys need to be conducted on the local dolphin stocks to determine the accurate status of dolphin population in Solomon Islands waters.”
He however said the status of dolphin population in Solomon Island is unknown and recently the exports have drawn international and regional criticism on the Solomon Island government.
He said that Solomon Island did not apply the precautionary approach to sustainable fisheries to its dolphin stocks, and that was the reason important projects on dolphin stock assessment was funded and implemented.
“Information gathered out of this seminar will enable the development of a national and community dolphin management plan.
“I hope the process by which management plans will be developed is inclusive and covers stakeholders.
The seminar ended yesterday.
BY DENVER NEWTER
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