Police, fisheries to crack down on illegal beche-de-mer harvest on Tasman

The Bougainville Police Service and Fisheries Directorate will deploy to the Tasman islands this week aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel MV Allankay to investigate ongoing illegal harvesting of beche-de-mer.

The operation comes in response to repeated reports of Solomon Islanders allegedly collaborating with local Bougainvilleans to poach the valuable marine resource in the Atolls region, despite a standing ban on its harvest.

The MV Allankay arrived in Bougainville waters just weeks ago and will now carry officers from both police and fisheries on its first enforcement mission.

Bougainville authorities have confirmed that beche-de-mer harvesting remains prohibited until an official open season is declared. The Bougainville Fisheries Directorate and the National Fisheries Authority are jointly enforcing the ban under the Department of Primary Industries and Marine Resources.

Concerns over illegal activity were first raised late last year by the Member for Atolls in the Bougainville House of Representatives. The issue was further echoed earlier this year by the Minister for Primary Industries, Patrick Koles, who confirmed in Parliament that illegal harvesting was also occurring in parts of North Bougainville.

Bougainville Police Chief, Deputy Commissioner Francis Tokura, told NBC Online that preparations are underway, and that officers on board MV Allankay will have full authority to arrest anyone found violating the fisheries ban.