DILI, 22 july 2022 (TATOLI) – The Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), Acacio Guterres, informed that from 2005 to 2017 MAF has exported 1500 tons of fish abroad and collected US$ 625,000 in revenue.
“The exported fish were far from the target because Timor-Leste does not have fishing vessels so the export amount was only 1500 tons of fish and we collected around $625,000 into the state treasury so far,” Director General, MAF, Acacio Guterres, told TATOLI in his office, Comoro, Dili.
He explained that the fishery export activities were realized in 2005, 2007, 2016, and 2017 when the Government of Timor-Leste through MAF collaborated with several companies including Park Way, Saiseko from Thailand, and Hong Long from China to carry out fishing activities in the Timorese sea. However, he said, the government stopped cooperation with these companies because these companies had violated the rules.
In response to the fishing industry in Timor-Leste, MAF has recently opened tenders for international companies to carry out fishing activities, and restore the fishing industry in TL.
“The fishing policy is carried out to increase state revenue, therefore we have opened tenders to international companies interested in this sector, and so far there have been several fishing companies from China who submitted this tender and soon we will decide on the winning company to carry out this activity fishing in the TL sea,”
MAF hopes that, with the opening of the tender, many foreign companies will want to cooperate with local companies to invest in fishing areas in Timor – Leste.
“We hope international companies will invest in this area and recruit many local fishermen to work with them,”
So far, the marine wealth of Timor – Leste has not been optimized due to the limited annual budget for the fishery sector which was only 3%, but in the Government’s “Great Option Law” which has been approved by the National Parliament, MAF has prioritized the fishery sector.
“MAF will work hard to increase state revenues through the fisheries sector by developing the fishing industry in Timor-Leste and increase the quantity of fish to be exported abroad and can be sold in Timor – Leste,” he said.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Nelia B.
