In a three-page letter addressed to Fritz, the GA said the States of Palau enjoy exclusive ownership of all living resources within the 12 nautical miles of territorial sea based on the national constitution. The States therefore have a legitimate concern if their resources are depleted for short term profits by illegal activities.
The GA also cited in their letter the permit given by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism (MNRET) to Palau Sea Cucumber Hatchery Farm (PSCHF) in January 2010 to engage in the collection of marine resources for aquariums and “research purposes.” However the GA has been informed by way of letter from Gov. Leilani Reklai of Aimeliik, Vicky Kanai of Airai and Romana Anatascio of Ngchesar States that many sea cucumbers are being taken and exported, in volumes of kilograms which do not appear to be “cultured” and in volumes that far exceed any “research” needs.
The GA added that according to the letter from the three lady Governors on Nov. 1, the application for the permit was too vague in that it did not describe the purposes of the activities of the PSCHF, and that it now appears that the amount of exports far exceeds the amount of species needed for research.
The GA said that in the interests of protecting State owned resources, Governors of all the 16 States of Palau have formally request that more detailed information be provided to the Ministry in any applications and in the permit to be issued that any exports be clearly identified to the Ministry to allow for inspection prior to export and that express limits be placed upon the amounts of resources take for research.
The GA also requested that any request from any research facility should be investigated and inspected to determine if any research is actually being conducted.Any application should also receive written authorization from the affected State government for any activity to be conducted within its territorial water.
The letter signed by 16 Governors was forwarded to the MNRET office on Nov. 9.
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