Palau to preserve 'pristine environment' by banning commercial fishing, promoting tourism
Pacific island nation to prohibit commercial fishing in favour of snorkeling, scuba and shark spotting citing environmental concerns and the effects of global warming
The president of Palau declared on Tuesday that his Pacific island nation will ban commercial fishing and become a marine sanctuary.
President Tommy Remengesau said in a keynote address to a UN meeting on “Healthy Oceans and Seas” that – once current fishing contracts with Japan, Taiwan and some private companies expire – only fishing by island residents and tourists will be allowed in its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
Remengesau said establishing “a 100-per-cent marine sanctuary” will enable Palau to preserve “a pristine environment” and promote snorkeling, scuba diving and ecotourism as an alternative way to grow its economy.
“It will make a difference if it’s just a matter of feeding ourselves and feeding the tourists,” he told a news conference. “As it is right now, we’re feeding the tourist and ourselves plus millions of people outside the territory.”
Palau’s population of about 20,000 people is spread across 250 islands. It shares maritime boundaries with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Micronesia.
The country announced in 2009 it was creating the world’s first shark sanctuary by banning all commercial shark fishing in its territorial waters. It has also adopted the most restrictive law against bottom trawling. In 2012, its Rock Islands Southern Lagoon was named a Unesco World Heritage site.