The export of beche-de-mer will cease at the end of this month.
This was revealed by the onshore Fisheries deputy director during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing into the budget submission from the Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources (MFMR).
PAC members during the hearing asked about the extension of beche-de-mer harvest and export and the Ministry said, it should have closed it early this year but was further extended.
The deputy director inshore fisheries clarified that the one month extension was not for harvesting but to allow exporters to export their stock.
The fisheries official said, harvesting period has already closed. This extension period was to allow last stock to be exported.
He further stated that under the management plan to regulate bechedeemer there is an extension for one month only and that should be stop towards the end of the month.
Deputy Director stated that there were a number of requests from companies and communities submitted to them for further extension of harvesting bechedeemer which only the minister would have a power to grant extension on that.
“Only the Minister for fisheries has the power to grant any extension but for now we didn’t receive any advice from him regarding this extension requests,” he said.
By AATAI JOHN
