The ban on harvesting of Kawakawa and Donu fish has come into effect from 1st June to the end of September.
The seasonal ban aims to protect all the species in the two families during their peak breeding months.
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Kalaveti Ravu says all Fijians need to ensure that they don’t lose these culturally and commercially important fish.
Ravu says Government had placed a seasonal ban on the harvesting, selling, buying, possession and exporting of the Kawakawa and Donu families back in 2018 as the population of the A-grade fish has rapidly declined over the years.
Change Fiji Country Director, Mafa Qiolele added that Kawakawa and Donu breed in large numbers at specific locations each year.
Permanent Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry, Atelaite Rokosuka says that awareness has been carried out in communities as well by fisheries officials.
Rokosuka says we need to work together to sustain, manage and protect our fisheries and our voluntary commitment will surely provide an enabling environment for them to grow and repopulate our waters
She adds hefty penalties will be handed to those found not complying with the measures in place.
And according to research conducted, close to 80 per cent of Fiji’s known Kawakawa and done breeding sites are either declining or have died out.
