15 Jun 2015

Palau burns illegal fishing vessels

3:57 pm on 15 June 2015

Palau has begun following Indonesia's example by burning foreign vessels caught illegally fishing in their waters.

National Geographic reports that in recent weeks, Palau law enforcement officers have caught and burned a cluster of Vietnamese fishing boats.

The ships' captains remain incarcerated in Palau while the 77 crew members are being sent home on two remaining fishing boats, with enough food and fuel to make it back to Vietnam.

Palau's president, Tommy Remengesau, said that his government hopes to send a clear message to poachers who are raping Palau's marine environment

The message is that Palau will not tolerate any more unsustainable acts and that illegal fishers will return home with nothing.

Palau authorities found over eight metric tons of sea cucumbers and reef fish on board the latest boats found fishing in Palau without permission.

These vessels join 15 other boats from Vietnam which have been caught by Palau since 2014, with a haul of over 25 metric tons of fish destined for the black market in Asia.

Palau's policy comes after Indonesia last year rejuvenated its policy of sinking foreign vessels found to be fishing illegally in its waters - Vietnamese flagged boats have featured frequently.

A Palauan law enforcement vessel escorting a Taiwanese long line fishing vessel suspected of illegally shark finning in 2011.

A Palauan law enforcement and Greenpeace vessel escorting a Taiwanese long line fishing vessel suspected of illegally shark finning in Palau's EEZ in 2011. Photo: AFP / GREENPEACE / ALEX HOFFORD