DILI, 27 july 2022 (TATOLI) – The Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), Acacio Guterres, has informed that the Government of Timor – Leste, through MAF decided to issue fishing licenses for two companies; Algo TTPDC, Lda, a local company and ZOFG, Ltd from China to conduct fishing activities in the southern seas of Timor – Leste, in October this year.
Director, Acacio Guterres said the two Chinese companies were selected based on the documents they submitted to MAF in 2020 following the opening of the tender in 2020 and the two companies conduct their activities after issuing access permits
Timor-Leste’s fishing license or Access Agreement is granted under Fisheries regulation no. 6/2004. Is an agreement made with another country or with an intergovernmental agreement of an international organization, which allows access to fish in national marine waters.
“Based on the documents submitted by the two companies; Algo TTPDC, Lda, and ZOFG, Ltd in 2020, MAF has decided to issue fishing access permits to these companies to carry out fishing activities in the South Timor Sea for two years from October 2022-2024. The statutory fishing permits are given based on regulation No. 6/2004,” said Guterres told TATOLI at the MAF office, Comoro Dili, this Wednesday.
Guterres also added that Following Fisheries regulation No. 6/2004 all fishing activities will be monitored and controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of Timor-Leste (MAF).
“We offer permits according to Presidential Regulation No. 6 of 2004 which also states that all supervision from the beginning of the activities in terms of transactions, sales, and exports of fish will be controlled by MAF officers so that the number of tons of fish to be exported abroad and how much income will be received by the state treasury will be guaranteed, by MAF,” he said.
At the same time, Guterres explained that the two Fishing Companies from China Algo TTPDC, Lda, and ZOFG, Ltd are joint ventures, these companies will bring in seven (7) fishing vessels with complete integrated fishing facilities and they will work closely with MAF to recruit Timorese fisheries to work with them.
“Company Algo TTPDC Lda & ZOFG Ltd will cooperate with MAF and will recruit 35 Timorese fishermen to carry out fishing operations in the southern seas of Timor – Leste. Seven ships will dock at Vemasse port and Kairra-Bella.”
Gutteres also hopes that the presence of these two fishing vessels will increase income and increase the fishing industry in Timor-Leste.
“We hope the fishing operation by the two companies in October will continue to increase the state revenue that had been stalled for so long, we also hope that these two joint ventures can open other fishing companies in Timor-Leste to help the country increase its income” he concluded
So far, in 2015 and up to 2017 Timor-Leste has cooperated with Two international companies Saiseko, Thailand, and Hong Long, China had exported 1500 tons of fish abroad and raised $ 625,000 to the State treasury.
Related News:https://en.tatoli.tl/2022/07/22/maf-exported-1500-tons-of-fish-to-overseas/03/
Journalist: Camilo de Sousa
Editor: Nelia Borges
