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Government is under pressure to issue more long line fishing licence than its quota of 40 licenses limit a year.
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CKI NEWS
Wed, 10 Feb 2010
RAROTONGA, Cook Islands --- Government is under pressure to issue more long line fishing licence than its quota of 40 licenses limit a year.
Cook Islands director of offshore fisheries, Joshua Mitchell said currently 26 vessels are licensed to fish in Cook Islands waters.
The Ministry of Marine Resources is considering an application from Northern Cook Islands Fishing Company for the renewal of its 16 foreign fishing vessel licenses. At the same time, a local company is asking for the provision of 12 foreign fishing vessel licenses.
Mr Mitchell says the ministry now has to consider how to allocate the remaining 14 licenses to both companies.
"The ministry is trying to create a level playing field for everybody through a fair and transparent system. We have to go back to our regulations to guide us in making a decision."
The ministry relies on its 2008 long line fishery regulations to manage this sector of the fishing industry.
Recently the licence fee for locally-based fishing vessels under 20 metres long was reduced by $500 to $2000 to help ease the pressure created by reduced catches. Local fishing vessels over 20 metres long are licensed for $5000 each.
Foreign-flagged vessels are licensed for $40,000 - one of the highest licence fees in the region. There is an incentive rebate of $15,000 on this fee if the vessel offloads at least 20 metric tonnes of fish in the country in the previous licence year.
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