MNA lacks of equipment to conduct maritime supervision

DILI, 23 august 2023 (TATOLI)— Minister of Defence, Donaciano do Rosário da Costa Gomes “Pedro Klamar Fuik, acknowledged that the lack of equipment to control the Timor Sea contributed to the disappearance of fish.

The government’s Ministry of Defense has established a Maritime National Authority (ANM-Autoridade Nasional Maritima) to carry out supervision and control of illegal fishing activities in the Timor Sea.

“Maritime National Authority was established to function effectively in the structure, human resources, and facilities to oversee the activities in the Sea. However, until now it has been difficult to conduct maritime supervision because Timor-Leste still has very limited equipment and many fish are lost every year.” Klamar Fuik”, told reporters at the National Parliament.

He added that ANM is a priority for the IX Constitutional Government therefore ANM became a Government priority for the next five years, Therefore government needs to exercise the existing authority within its jurisdiction.

“Right now it is included in the government program, to strengthen ANM, The legislature starts this year and we will find a way, maybe next year it will begin to be implemented. So ANM will carry out its surveillance activities in the Sea,” he said.

At some point during his intervention, he said, one way to strengthen ANM’s control over the Timor Sea was to have good coordination with relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Timor-Leste National Police.

“The ANM can conduct its duty at sea with effectively and efficiently. This means we have to guarantee our authority at sea,” he said.

In addition to coordination between related Ministries, he stressed, that control equipment must be adequate so that ANM can carry out its activities.

“Currently the Government has included all equipment items in the 2024 State Budget (APBN),”

Concerning the lost of fish, in Previous interview with Lourenço da Costa Pereira (50), who is a fisherman in Nankurun coast in the southern part of Manatuto municipality had said, two the large illegal fishing vessels often sail and fish in their waters for causing the stock depletion.

“One night my brother Lourençe and I were on Nankurun beach and we saw two strange large fishing vessels in our water. They seemed to be struggling and behaving strangely. And I spoke to my brother, they were the ones who took all the fish. They use trawls for fishing. There are always two big fishing boats and they are not small at all. They must be working together. So, if they have two such big vessels fishing together, I assume they would catch a lot of fish,” Miguel said.

He said the unidentified fishing vessels always operate in the area at night time and during high tide, “Actually, we just watch and do nothing. Even the authorities here, I am sure would not do anything because the tides are high and they have no means to chase these illegal fishermen.”

In response to the concerns of coastal communities regarding the illegal fishing on their waters, the Director General of Fisheries, Acacio Guterres, said that due to lack of resources, including trained personnel and adequate equipment such as maritime patrol vessels, making it difficult for the authorities to protect Timor-Leste waters from illegal fishing.

“So far, we have not seized any illegal fishing vessels. We have only detected these fishing vessels through the global fishing watch. Therefore, to deter illegal fishing in our water, I think we need trained personnel, and adequate equipment,” he said.

Journalist: Camilo de Sousa

Editor: Nelia B.