[Coral-List] Update on Palauan humphead wrasse and bumphead parrotfish laws

[Charles Birkeland]

You might remember that the Senate of the Republic of Palau introduced a
bill to open a limited season annually for the taking of adult Napoleon
wrasse (maml) and adult bumphead parrotfish (kemedukl). I appreciate a
number of you for sending scientific recommendations respectfully to the
Office of the President of Palau. I believe they were useful. President
Tommy E. Remengesau Jr. has modified the bill and returned it to the Senate
for consideration. “Based on these scientific recommendations and on those
of our local community…”, the Napoleon wrasse has been removed from the
bill. The Napoleon wrasse is listed as a threatened species in the CITES
Treaty and is on the Red List of IUCN as an endangered species.

The bumphead parrotfish remains in the bill. If the Palau International
Coral Reef Center (PICRC) finds, in writing, that a short season does not
threaten the sustainability of the species, then permits will be issued for
taking bumphead parrotfish “for consumption in conjunction with Palauan
traditional events”.  There are prohibitions on sale, export, or
interfering with spawning. Permitted fishermen must report their catch and
PICRC must assess the sustainability of the population every six months.
There will be no permits issued before February 2022 to allow time for a
scientific study of the current state of the population (due no later than
February 2021) and then allow time to design a permitting system based on
that study

Thank you for your participations