By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
KOROR, Palau – The lack of explanation from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment (MAFE) regarding a significant decline in the semum (trochus) population is causing concern. A recent survey conducted by both the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) and MAFE reported the decrease.
The decision to open the trochus harvesting season is determined by the Olbiil Era Kelulau (Palau’s national congress) based on a report from the Bureau of Marine Resources, which assesses the population’s health. However, multiple attempts over the past three weeks to obtain information from the Bureau regarding the decline have been unsuccessful.
According to MAFE’s Technical Report 20-16, the trochus population grew from over 1 million to nearly 4 million between 2016 and 2019. The report also noted that the average size of trochus increased by 38% in fore reef areas and by 72% in reef crest areas. In 2016, 57% of the trochus population had reached maturity, and by 2019, that figure had risen to 83%.
However, the recent survey by PICRC and MAFE shows a significant decline, with the total estimated population dropping to 1.6 million. The survey found only 267 trochus per hectare in the fore reef areas and 223 per hectare in reef crest areas, well below the 600 per hectare threshold considered healthy for harvesting.
The press release highlighted that “since 2016, the trochus harvest season has only been opened once in 2021 for about three weeks.” It remains unclear how much was harvested during this period, but the survey indicates heavy fishing pressure and slow population recovery.
The 2021 harvest was limited to local consumption due to the lack of international buyers. This restriction is rooted in Title 27, Section 1204 of the Palau National Code, which bans the export of marine resources predominantly found in reef areas and territorial seas.
The discrepancy between the 2019 and 2023 reports raises critical questions: What caused the significant decline in trochus populations? Is climate change a factor? How much trochus was collected for local consumption in 2021? Efforts to obtain data on trochus collections from the Bureau of Fisheries have also been unsuccessful.
In April, the House of Delegates passed House Bill 11-104-10, which would allow the export of trochus harvests. The bill, which passed unanimously with 13 votes in favor and 3 delegates absent, is currently under Senate review.
Fifteen weeks after the bill’s passage, a joint press release from PICRC and MAFE was issued, leaving the public still waiting for clarity on the trochus population decline and whether another open season for collection will be declared.