Joint Ministerial Order No. 18/MAP/MCIA/II/2017 establishing the List of Protected Aquatic Species.

This Joint Ministerial Order establishes the List of Protected Aquatic Species. Protection of aquatic species is essential to preserve biodiversity in national national waters and must comply with scientific criteria and the need to protect certain species. To this end, it is necessary to harmonize the list of protected aquatic species in Timor-Leste with current international standards. This Joint Order In particular, lays down the list of protected aquatic species within national maritime waters, and establishes that the catch of species listed in the Annex is prohibited at all times. Authorization of catching for scientific purposes may be allowed, after listening to national and/or international marine scientific research institutions, only for certain species referred to in the attached table, in quantity and place specified by such institutions and shall be recorded in the appropriate book and filed with the Directorate-General for Fisheries together with all the documentation related to the granting of authorization and respective beneficiaries. Anyone who is authorized to catch aquatic protected species shall report each fishing activity made within 15 days. Capture or collection of crocodiles or pearl oysters may be authorized within the scope of commercial nursery holdings, provided they are authorized by competent authority. It is prohibited to catch females of crustaceans and fish during spawning at any time of the year.