Qoliqoli bill – and the reef will go kar-boom!
Here’s a nice little section from the bill that amuses me, and reminds me of a yavirau I participated in several years ago. A yavirau is a community fish drive using a fence of vines and a powdered plant that stuns the fish so you can just grab them easily. This method of fishing is not usual, and only for a special function in a village. They don't always use the powder to stun the fish.
A yavirau is described in Drew and Melissa's blog and the pic comes from there.
Okay, it's not a joking matter when people creep along the reef at night so no-one sees them to do great damage to the reef with obnoxious methods of fishing.
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from the Qoliqoli Bill:
Use of explosives and poisonous substances
37.(1) No personshall use any kind of explosives for the taking of fisheries resources.
(2) No person shall take,stupefy, kill or harvest any fisheries resources by the use of any of thefollowing substances or plants
(a) any chemical or chemical compound;
(b) any substance containing derris;
(c) any substances containing the active principal of derris, namely,rotenone; or
(d) any plant or extract or derivative from any plant, belonging tothe genera Barringtonia, Derris, Euphorbia, Pittosporum or Tephrosia,
or place any such substance or plantin any water for the purpose of taking, stupefying killing or harvesting anyfisheries resources.
(3) A person whocontravenes subsection (1) or (2) commits and offence and is liable onconviction
(a) for subsection (1), to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to 10years imprisonment;
(b) for subsection (2), to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or toimprisonment for term not exceeding 5 years.
Yeah, for people who damage reefs I say "book 'em Danno".
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with the ocassional yavirau. I Hawaii we call it hukilau.
But my limited understanding of the Qoliqoli bill is that it is far to vague in defining rights over such resources.
I do hope something is put together that is consistent and fair.
I can only look at the Qoliqoli Bill, one point at a time. It is a huge document and very legalistic. But we are talking to Fijians here where we live in Geelong and asking for their stories. One guy from Navua/Coral Coast told us that hotels in the Coral Coast give fish etc. to villagers in their vicinity at times such as Christmas, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, etc. as compensation for the tabu on fishing near the hotels. Well, that is something I suppose.
ReplyDeleteSo before there is a Qoliqoli Bill passed, the current situation needs to be examined. Does it work adequately at present? Not well, it seems.
W.
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