Senate Bill No. 8-67 aims to stop the depletion of the country’s marine resources except highly migratory fish caught pursuant to the foreign fishing agreements.
“The Olbiil Era Kelulau finds that the living resources that inhabit Palau’s reefs, territorial sea and internal waters are quickly being depleted,” the bill stated.It added that information from local fishermen indicated that reef fish and other aquatic life have become scarce. The bill stated there is generally lax rules regarding the export of reef fish and other organism s that inhabit Palau waters.The bill bans the export or caused to be exported any species of living resource that predominately ingabit reef areas, the territorial sea of internal waters.Bait fish are also exception to the ban.
