LOCALS in the Lau Lagoon area are calling on the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to investigate suspected harvesting of sea cucumber in the area.
Sources told the Solomon Star that despite the government ban, some locals continued to harvest the sea cucumber because a Chinese businessman is buying it.
“A local man claiming to work for this Chinese businessman is buying the sea cucumber in the Lau Lagoon area for very low price,” one source said.
Our sources are those who refused to harvest the sea cucumber because of the national ban.
They said the local buyer buys the sea cucumber at $70 per kilo.
“They usually do this trade in secret but we saw them several times already,” a source, who refused to be named, said.
“I believe the Chinese businessman is operating his business in Malaita Provincial capital Auki.”
By BIRA’AU WILSON SAENI
In Auki
