DILI, 26 june 2023 (TATOLI)- Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries identified over 954,270 species of fish in the ATSEA arafura area between Australia, Indonesia, Papua Newguine and Timor-Leste, which are not properly explored by the countries.
The Executive Director of Fisheries, Acácio Gutters said Timor Leste is part of the South Asian Pacific reason which is part of the tropical area. Timor-Leste gained a huge advantage and has lots of ocean and land biodiversity. It gives big benefit for the Timorese economic development.
“We have over 954,270 tons of pieces of fish in the ATSEA Arafura area. However, we lack the human resources and equipment to control and explore sea resources. Currently, we only explored 2.7 percent of ocean resources, which is composed of 15.000 tons of fish in the sea resource in every year.’’ The Executive Director of Fisheries, Acácio Gutters told TATOLI media in JL Vila, Fatuhada, this Monday.
However he said, Timor-Leste lost from 2018 to 2022 around 388.000 tons of fish in the sea.
Gutters said the Timor-Leste government through the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries does not take any proper action to prevent illegal fishing to protect Timor-Leste’s resources in the ocean-based.
“I am recommending to the new government to put more investment in the infrastructure and equipment to control and preserve our sea resources. We have to explore it because it contains a high benefit for the social economy and people’s welfare,’’ He said
It is known that Timor-Leste has adopted a resolution of the United Nations of A/RES/70/276 in 2016, which is officially declared on June 29 as a World Tropic Day.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
