“Regulating fishing is a sensitive matter, but we want to balance everything, particularly protection of our eco-system and survival of our people,” said DLNR Secretary Ignacio dela Cruz in an interview with the Variety.
Dela Cruz said due to the current economic downturn, more people on Saipan are fishing to make both ends meet.
“We don’t want to deplete our resources but we also want to provide opportunities to our people,” he added.
Dela Cruz said a lot of people, day and night, are fhisng, and “we don’t know what kind of fish they are catching.”
There is a strong possibility that endangered species might also be caught, he added.
DLNR may require people who want to fish to secure a license and to fish only in designated areas and during designated hours.
Dela Cruz said the draft of the proposed rules will be sent to the Office of the Attorney General and the public will be consulted.
“The regulations will be reasonable and doable. We must take action, unless we want to suffer in the end,” he added.
