Sea cucumber policy soon to be implemented
BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has developed a comprehensive sea cucumber fishery management policy to be implemented soon.
Minister Nestor Ghiro said during the three-day Melanesia Sea cucumber dialogue held in Honiara last week.
Ghiro said that the Government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has committed to the sustainable management of marine resources.
“Our sea cucumber fisheries, a valuable asset to our economy and marine biodiversity, have faced challenges due to overexploitation. Recognizing this, we have implemented several key initiatives to ensure their recovery and long-term sustainability,’’ said Minister Ghiro.
He said that one of the flagship programs has been the restocking of sea cucumbers which involves transferring hatchery-raised juvenile sea cucumbers to open reef systems.
He said that this program aims to replenish depleted wild stocks and provides valuable data for planning large-scale breeding and management efforts across the country.
“In addition to restocking, the Ministry has developed a comprehensive sea cucumber fishery management policy, set to be implemented soon. This policy is designed to address the current overexploitation by introducing measures such as controlled harvest seasons,’’ he said.
“We are also dedicated to enhancing our data collection and monitoring systems to inform better management decisions. The (MFMR) is actively engaging with local communities, stakeholders, and regional partners to ensure that our management practices are both effective and inclusive,’’ said Ghiro.
Minster Ghiro also highlighted the importance of the dialogue as an excellent opportunity to identify opportunities for policy development.
“By sharing data, information, and best practices, we can empower each other to manage sea cucumber fisheries at the community level effectively. I am told that a significant goal of this dialogue is to gather insights that will contribute to revising the MSG Roadmap for Sustainable Inshore Fisheries 2015-2024. This roadmap emphasizes the importance of sea cucumber management and restoration, aiming to maximize long-term economic value and ecological sustainability,’’ he said.
“The (MFMR) is proud to partner with the USAID OurFish OurFuture project and WWF. We recognize the investment made by the United States Government through activities such as this. Together, we can pave the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for our sea cucumber fisheries and our communities,’’ he said.
The goal of the 3-day Melanesia Sea Cucumber Dialogue is to gather information, best practices and potential input to the review of the MSG Roadmap for sustainable inshore fisheries 2015-2024, which is supported by the USAID project.
The objective is to share successes and challenges in managing sea cucumbers in the Pacific region, identify opportunities to develop or expand on regional, national, and local policies, build a Community of Practice to share data, information, and best practices across countries and engaging stakeholders at local, national, and regional levels to identify solutions to improve and empower the management of sea cucumbers at the community scale.
