To increase the benefits of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary Act beyond the existing benefits, President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. proposed an “out of the box” idea of “giving” the fishing days to Palauans and letting them use the fishing days to fish and earn substantial benefit from the PNMS Act.
Using the country of Norway as an example, Remengesau encouraged local fishermen to step up their game. He encouraged the fishermen to get partners, investors if necessary, and get large ships and earn more from the fishing days rather than just Palau selling the fishing days and getting only 6% of the total value of the catch.
“Yes, I want to see Palauans become wealthy. I want to see Palauans become rich from this bounty rather than just foreigners reaping profits from it while we only talk about fishing days,” asserted Remengesau.
As Palau reaches the 5th year anniversary of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary Act (PNMS), ideas to improve the law and increase local ownership of PNMS concept are floated about by many candidates with some simply wanting to repeal it.
Both presidential candidates Raynold Oilouch and Surangel Whipps Jr. support the law but believe it could be further improved.
President Remengesau at the opening of the Domestic Tuna Fisheries Office in Ngchesar State that this is one example of improving the law that candidates to the next Olbiil era Kelulau can do to maximize the benefits of the Palau Marine Sanctuary Act.
Proposing ownership of PNMS through local ownership of Fishing Days
