Call For Apec To Fight ‘Fish Bombing’
By Achong Tanjong

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei Darussalam has urged all Apec member economies to cooperate in preventing illegal fishing activities such as the use of explosives and cyanide to catch fish.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Dato Paduka Haji Hamdilah, made the call during the Apec Ministerial Meeting on Maritime from September 16-17 in Bali, Indonesia.

The use of explosives and cyanide to catch the fish is often carried out in Brunei waters, which has raised concern among the authorities. The activities are a threat to the efforts of many Apec economies, including Brunei Darussalam, in upgrading the development of maritime eco-tourism.

The meeting, which was attended by ministers from Apec economies, was chaired by Freddy Numberi, Maritime and Fishery Minister of Indonesia, and Geoff Regan Minister of Fishery and Maritime of Canada.

The meeting has resulted in the "Bali Action Plan" which has the theme "'towards Healthy Oceans and Coasts for Sustainable Growth and Prosperity of Asia Pacific Community".

The action plan stresses three elements: To ensure the competitiveness of maritime resources and surroundings; to ensure a continuous healthy economy from maritime resources; and to enable the development and progress of coastal communities.

Asia Pacific is one of the important regions in global economy. Based on the statistics, the region has 45 per cent of the world's population, controls 47 per cent of world markets, produces 57 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), produces more than 90 per cent of aquaculture, uses 70 per cent of seafood resources and 75 per cent of world fish catches occurs in this region. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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