According to Senate Bill No. 8-54, is aimed at enacting regulations to prevent “abusive fishing practices and to ensure the protection of our marine resources.”
The bill provides restrictions to fishing by non-citizens, the measure disallow foreign workers from fishing for commercial purposes and that non-citizens who are employed as fishermen by foreign fishing companies with which the country has a current fishing agreement may fish for commercial purposes but only within the scope of their employment and only from a fishing vessel that is in possession of a valid fishing permit.The bill also stated that non-citizens who legally reside in Palau may only fish for non-commercial purposes only by trolling method and casting method and they should be accompanied by at least one Palauan citizen.Tourists or non-citizens who are married to Palauan citizens however are not covered by this provision.It also stated that non-citizens who hold a tourist visa may only fish when accompanied by a licensed tour guide and only through trolling or casting.All fish caught by a tourist must be released.The bill said that persons caught violating the law shall be subject to a fine of $100 per fish taken and persons caught the second time shall be subjected to a fine of $500 per fish taken and a third offense will mean a fine of $1,000 per fish taken and shall be imprisoned for not more than a year.Any non-citizen who is convicted of fishing for commercial purposes shall be guilty of misdemeanor and shall be fined in an amount of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000 per fish taken and an imprisonment for not less than 48 hours and not more than one year.
