Tonga opens up tuna fishing to licensed foreign vessels [1]
Monday, October 17, 2011 - 22:06. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
In an effort to revive its dying fishing industry Tonga has opened up its tuna fishing to licensed foreign fishing vessels, the Ministry of Fisheries has confirmed.
A fishing vessel from Taiwan is expected to arrive in Tonga this month to operate from a local base, after paying a licence fee of USD$20,000.
Tevita 'Ahoafi of the Licensing Unit at the Ministry of Fisheries confirmed to Matangi Tonga Online today that there remained only two active fish export licensed companies in Tongan, namely Kool Fresh (formerly 'Alatini Fisheries); and Oripec Fishing Ltd., operated by a Tongan Pupunga Mahe, from Australia.
He said the Ministry of Fisheries in August opened up tuna fishing to foreign fishing nations by charging a license fee of USD$20,000 for foreign vessels to fish, based in Tonga.
Decline
He said that up to 2010 there were three other licensed fish exporters that included South Pacific Resources run by a Korean, Hina Food operated by Siale Sikimeti and a company run by David Edwards. However to date, their licenses had expired. The 'Alatini Fisheries was understood to have restructured its fishing company and renamed it "Kool Fresh" under 'Alo Fe'iloakitau. 'Alatini was selling off their fishing vessels and would only buy fish from local fishermen for export. Meanwhile, Oripec has one fishing vessel.
He said the fishing industry was in decline due to many factors, including that some of the older companies find it hard to fish with old equipment and had no capital to renew their resources.
Moratorium
In 2004, Tonga placed a moratorium on foreign fishing vessels and as a result no tuna-fishing licenses were issued to foreign fishing vessel.s
In 2006 the Foreign Investment Regulations came into force and required that commercial fishing comprising of tuna fishing, aquaculture, and bottom fishing in waters deeper than 500m and other water fishing not less than 100m shall be conducted subject to their resource management plan administered by the Fisheries.
All foreign vessels must be registered in the FFA register before licensing by a FFA member state.