THE NATIONAL – Papua New Guinea’s beche-de-mer stock is improving but not at the stage of harvesting, a senior National Fisheries Authority (NFA) official says.
Sedentary fishery manager Luanah Yaman said the impact of the beche-de-mer ban in the past three years did not see a significant difference in the stock.
She said the size structures from the common species had illustrated signs of recruitment and recovery since the initial ban in 2007.
“It is not viable to harvest now. If you do, all the beches-de-mer will be wiped out,” Yaman said.
“That is why there is another ban of three years on the beche-de-mer, expected to be opened in 2016.
“But the ban is subject to an on-going monitoring and assessment of the stock by the fisheries authority.”
She said the beche-de-mer density had declined so the ban would allow it to recover.
“When they are closer together, then it will be possible for them to reproduce and multiply,” she said. “We need about 100 beches-de-mer occupying an area.”
Yaman said the beches-de-mer were motionless creatures and had to be close together for successful breeding.
“The beches-de-mer have to be left untouched for longer periods of time for maximum benefits,” she said.
“People who depend on them for cash have to look at other alternative means to sustain their lives during the ban.”
She said allowing beches-de-mer to grow and develop ensured increased density, egg turnover, species diversity, price and livelihoods, which enabled sustainable resource management.
– The National
