22 Nov 2010

Solomon Islands secures higher fees for fishing vessel licences

2:00 pm on 22 November 2010

Access fees paid by foreign vessels for licenses to fish in Solomon Island waters will be doubled from 2011.

Solomon Island Broadcasting says the new fees negotiated with Japan, Taiwan and Korea are being seen as a major coup by the government in its strategy to increase economic returns from fishing.

The Solomon Islands negotiators also secured a 7% return of value of the catch taken from its waters.

Currently, only 6% return of the value of the catch has been agreed to by many countries in the region, including Solomon Islands.