Aquaculture and Fisheries Action Plan 2008.

The Aquaculture and Fisheries Action Plan lays down strategies and priority actions for the fisheries and aquaculture sector that need to be addressed in the functions and work programs of the Bureau of Marine Resources. The goal of the Bureau of Marine Resources is to ensure sustainable economic development and management of the marine and coastal resources of Palau. The strategies of this Plan are: (I) improved policy and legislation, (II) institutional development, and (III) sustainable production and income opportunities.
The legal and policy frameworks will be developed to improve the sustainable development of the marine resource sector in Palau. A National Fisheries Policy will be developed to be based on an ecosystem approach incorporating international standards of marine resource and environmental management and sustainable economic development. A comprehensive fisheries legislation covering inshore and offshore fisheries, aquaculture, marine protected areas, a semi-autonomous or autonomous fishery entity to manage the offshore fishery, inshore fisheries cooperatives, enforcement of regulations, and quarantine issues, will be developed. The legislation will provide the Bureau of Marine Resources with the power to regulate the development of fisheries and aquaculture in coordination with other government sectors to ensure marine resources. A National Aquaculture Strategy and Development Plan will be drafted for the successful economically and environmentally sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. Existing marine and fisheries legislation will be improved to effectively address the current non-compliance with regulations. The development policies and management issues detailed in the National Tuna Fisheries Management Plan will be implemented. The shark finning regulation will be evaluated to reassess current regulation banning the sale of sharks and their products accidentally caught during the normal fishing practices of the offshore fishing. The legalization of domestic sale of by-catch products from the commercial fishing industry will be considered to meet the increasing demands. The economic returns to Palau from the offshore fishing industry will be improved by undertaking tax and fishing license reforms.
The capacity of the Bureau of Marine Resources will be enhanced to: (i) collect, collate and analyze fisheries data to provide scientifically sound information to develop species-specific and ecosystems management protocols for the sustainable development of the marine resources and fisheries; and (ii) improve the delivery and efficiency of sound scientific extension and information exchange programs for aquaculture, fisheries and resource management.
Aquaculture production will be diversified through research and extension to ensure a sustainable industry. All aquaculture projects will be developed in accordance with the recommendations of the National Aquaculture Strategy and Development Plan. Commercially viable aquaculture commodities produced at the Palau Mariculture Demonstration Centre will be prioritized. The programs of the Bureau of Marine Resources for the economic development of subsistence, artisanal and commercial inshore fisheries and resulting livelihood opportunities, will be diversified. Fish quality will be improved through increased product handling and processing resulting in improved economic returns per fish. Inshore fishers will be promoted to shift fishing activities and pressure from inshore resources to target pelagic offshore fish resources through the use of FADs, as well as to shift livelihood activities from inshore fishing to gain employment in the tourism sector. The development of fishing cooperatives will be supported to assist in the sustainable development of the inshore fisheries.