Fishermen in Fiji are now freely accessing fishing grounds on an understanding with the Ministry of Fisheries that they will pay the qoliqoli access fees once approved by Government.
Ministry of Fisheries permanent secretary Saula Lagataki said the paper regarding the proposed access fees was with Cabinet and no decisions had been made yet.
Mr Lagataki said this currently prevented the ministry from enforcing the fees on fishermen.
He said the Government had abolished the goodwill payment that used to be formerly paid by fishermen to landowners.
“We are still doing consultations on how much is to be paid for the qoliqoli access fees,” he said.
“Currently a very low number of fishermen are fishing because of the situation we have regarding the issuance of licences.
“Once everything has been sorted, the number of fishermen is expected to come back but at the moment the ones we allow to continue fishing based on the understanding are those that badly need the money to pay off their obligations to lending institutions”
Northern divisional fisheries officer Joji Vakawaletabua reaffirmed the statement saying they were only giving fishermen access to fish upon the understanding they would pay the access fees once it was gazetted.
Responding to these statements, the Tui Macuata Ratu Wiliame Katonivere said Government needed to gazette the access fees fast because there were traditional fishing ground owners who relied on the fees as a source of income.
Ratu Wiliame said the fact that these fishing activities were not monitored was a concern.
Tui Wainunu Ratu Orisi Baleitavea shared the same sentiments, adding traditional fishing ground owners would be seriously affected.
2014, Fiji Times Limited