Palau President Proposes Commercial Fishing Ban

Saltwater Nation: Palau

Tommy Remengesau, President of the Pacific island nation The Republic of Palau has proposed banning all commercial fishing in Palau waters. Remengesau, who served as Vice President from 1992-2000, President from 2001 through 2009, and was again elected President in November, 2012, wants to create the world’s largest marine reserve. Remengesau hopes to develop a marine preserve of approximately 630,000 square miles, an area roughly the size of Alaska and Washington combined. Remengesau hopes to make Palau the world’s largest marine sanctuary. He announced, “No longer will Palau be merely a shark sanctuary, it will be a sea sanctuary that protects all marine wildlife within Palau’s exclusive economic zone,” In 2009 Palau created the world’s first shark sanctuary.

According to Remengesau, Palau will benefit more from tourism associated with the sanctuary than it does from its commercial tuna fishing fleet. According to Natural Resources Minister Umiich Sengebau, Palau earns approximately $5 million from its fishing industry, $4 million of which is attributed to its tuna fleet. Sengebau identified that in 2010 Palau licensed 129 fishing boats from other countries to fish Palau waters, receiving little compensation from their large profits. According to Remengesau, the Asian Development Bank has valued the global tuna industry revenue at $4 billion a year; approximately nine per cent of this amount is paid to Pacific nations who license boats to fish their waters. “Revenue received from commercial fishing licenses and taxes from commercial fishing is a drop in the bucket compared to the profits made by large fishing companies,” Remengesau recently criticized.

Remengesau has admitted, though, that enforcing the ban will be difficult as the country currently has only one worn-out patrol boat.

Palau is a nation of 300 islands populated by approximately 21,000 people. It is well-known for its world-class scuba and snorkeling.

Props to President Remengesau.