Issuing “one billion licenses” to foreign fishing vessels to fish in Samoa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z.) will only add more burdens to an industry that is already struggling, especially for the small alias.
This was the concern raised by some of the owners of small fishing alias and fishermen at the Savalalo fish market.
A mother who would only speak on terms of anonymity said she has been in the business for 11 years and it has been “tough”.
“The number of fish found today is not the same as in the past,” said the businesswoman.
“There is not that much fish out here.
“I know the Prime Minister said it’s a migrating species, but our concern is overfishing and the sustainability of fish.”
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The mother who operates five small alia, pointed out that issuing licenses to foreign vessels “will only add more burdens to an industry that is already struggling”.
“The operating cost of a trip out sea is hundreds of tala,” she explained.
“Sometimes the boys go and return with little or no fish. Other times they come back with missing and broken equipment and there are some cases where fishermen go missing at sea.
“This would mean more competition for us and others will even consider leaving the business.”
According to the businesswoman, if somehow the foreign vessels decide to offload at the local fish market, it would have both a positive and negative effect.
“I guess it would be good for customers;
they would get cheaper prices from them forcing us to lower our prices too,” she said.
“But if you look at the other side, it would be a loss for us and no profit. It would mean we would have to go out of business.”
The mother added; “It’s been really slow for the industry and most of the time the alias are docked here and don’t go out at sea.”
A fisherman, Iosua Saua from Lefaga who works for a family who owns several alia was equally concerned.
Mr. Saua said his worry is if the foreign vessels compete with the small alias it might cost him his job.
“I look at it this way, that if the family I work for go out of business because the bigger vessels are getting all the profits, I might lose my job,” he said.
“I’ve been a fisherman for 15 years and this is the only way I know how to provide for my family.
“I don’t know if those big boats will provide employment for our people but I know that a lot of us will lose our jobs if the local alia businesses decide to give in.”
On Thursday, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said “if we can issue a billion licenses so be it.”
Tuilaepa added, “The more the licenses issued to foreign companies the better.”
He also brushed off allegations that issuing licenses will result in overfishing.
“What they don’t understand is by the time the fishing boat reaches there, fish from Tonga arrives,” he pointed out.
“They are not ours it’s from Tonga and if we don’t catch it they will be in Tokelau or Kiribati tomorrow.”
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