Blue Boats

Vanuatu public urged to help to catch blue boats

RNZ reports the Director of the Fisheries Department, Kalo Pakoa, said people should report any sighting or other information to the department or the police.

The illegal and unregulated boats have been caught in several countries and territories over the past few years including Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia and this week in New Caledonia.

Mr Pakoa said boats caught fishing illegally in New Caledonian waters were in Vanuatu's Exclusive Economic Zone and they could be on any remote reef at the moment.

Blue boats – a new illegal fishing threat to Vanuatu

Over the past few years blue boats have been found in Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea and as far south as Australia and New Caledonia.
 
The director general of the Forum Fisheries Agency James Movick says these vessels, most of which come from Vietnam, are difficult to catch.