Etpison said that finding ways to improve local enforcement against dugong poaching will be part of the program and this is through coordination with the state and national government in coming up with regulations to enforce the law.
Three dugongs this year were found dead and at least two of them are believed to have died due to illegal dynamite.
She added that dynamite causes harm to the highly endangered dugong population in Palau.
The aim of the campaign is to attract attention to Palau’s most endangered marine mammal species.
Although protected by law, local poaching remains a problem.
It was learned that local fishermen still hunt these creatures using spears, nets and dynamite, and admit Palau’s traditional chiefs order dugong meat from them for special occasions.
With this, Etpison announced that the program is finalizing the 12 feet high, life-sized mahogany statue of an adult Dugong with two calves.
The statue is part of the awareness campaign, which will be put on display at the entrance lobby of the Minister of State building in Melekeok today.
In 2012, the statue will be returned to the Etpison Museum, and will be available to the local campaign partners to display in the future at various public facilities such as the Palau Pacific Resort lobby or the Palau Community College library.
The United Arab Emirates will assist Palau in the protection of dugongs.
Abu Dhabi has a large population of dugongs, unlike Palau, which has the smallest most isolated population in the world.
