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Babauta asks Sen. Inouye’s nod for fishery program
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Posted on Jan 08 2006
Gov. Juan N. Babauta wrote Hawaii senator Daniel K. Inouye Friday, asking the latter’s support for the continuation of a federally funded fishery program.
Babauta asked that the Western Pacific Community Demonstration Project Program continue, citing that it has helped the CNMI in its own fishing projects.
“Please consider supporting the continuation and funding of this wonderful program,” said Babauta.
To date, he said that CDPP has provided funding for four major projects in the Commonwealth. These include the CNMI Remote Fishing Station Project, costing $125,000; the Saipan Traditional Fishing Education Project, $58,064; Saipan Fishermen’s Cooperative, $150,000; and the Traditional Fishing Practices for Chamorros and Carolinians on Rota, $90,500.
The remote fishing station project was set up in the Northern Islands to develop fishing and shipping of harvested fish to Saipan for sale.
The traditional fishing education project, which partners with Northern Marianas College, provides training for young people to learn to fish in an environmentally responsible way.
The fishermen’s cooperative project aims to centralize marketing of pelagic fish, creating an alternative to consumers’ demand for reef fish.
The Rota project, meantime, aims to revive and restore the traditional fishing practices and values of Chamorros and Carolinians. It is planned to be implemented in partnership with NMC Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Services.
“Should the CDPP continue, CNMI hopes to benefit from phases two, three, and four of the CNMI Northern Islands project, which would establish fishing stations on the islands of Anatahan, Alamagan, and Pagan,” said Babauta.
In his letter, Babauta noted that CDPP has enabled the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council to hire an onsite island coordinator to provide technical support for the demonstration project and to facilitate work between the council and his office.
The council addresses management of fisheries in federal waters surrounding Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and several U.S. small remote island areas.
Federal waters refer to seas generally 3-200 miles offshore of these areas. (Liberty Dones)
