A group of local fishermen on Wednesday aired their support for “tekking” or gillnet fishing in the Saipan lagoon, the largest barrier reef lagoon system in the Mariana Archipelago, as they joined Rep. Denita Yangetmai in explaining to the public the intent of her House Bill 23-5, which they believe will help them and their families cope with the local economic downturn.
Also joining them was the governor’s special assistant for Carolinian affairs, Felix Nogis, who addressed the concerns raised by other members of the community regarding the traditional fishing method.
Louie Tilipao, a local fisherman, noted that fishermen on Rota and Tinian are allowed to practice dragnet, surrounding net, trap nets and other fishing methods in the waters surrounding their islands, but Saipan fishermen can only use talaya or throw net for subsistence fishing.
H.B. 23-5, which Yangetmai introduced on Friday, “will help bring food to our table,” said Tony Rasiang, another local fisherman who attended the press conference at the Carolinian Village pavilion in Garapan.
Nogis said gillnet fishing is part of their local traditions. It was banned in 2000 when Managaha, Bird Island and Forbidden Island were designated marine sanctuaries.
He said he can understand that gillnet was banned back then because there were no sanctuaries.
“But now that we have these sanctuaries in place I think we should [allow gillnet fishing] because people are in a dire situation right now,” he said.
“We want to make it clear. We are not against marine sanctuaries. It is good for us and we know it is good for fishermen, too,” he added.
He said the marine sanctuaries have enabled spawning and made possible the migration of fish throughout the lagoon.
Yangetmai said it has been over 20 years now since the sanctuaries were designated “so the fish population has grown and the fish are coming out of the protected areas…. It’s not that the fish are locked up in there. The fish are free to come out from the protected areas and into the Saipan lagoon,” she added.