Palau burns Vietnamese boats caught fishing illegally

Columns of black smoke rise from four Vietnamese boats in the waters off Palau Friday, June 12, 2015. The tiny Pacific nation of Palau, fighting a rising tide of illegal fishing in its waters, set fire to the four boats caught poaching sea cucumbers and other marine life in its waters. Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau Jr. hopes to turn most of the island nation’s territorial waters into a national marine sanctuary, banning commercial fishing and exports apart from limited areas to be used by domestic fishermen and tourists. (Jeff Barabe/The Pew Charitable Trusts via AP) (Associated Press)

By Elaine Kurtenbach | AP June 12

TOKYO — The tiny Pacific nation of Palau, fighting a rising tide of illegal fishing in its waters, has set fire to four boats belonging to Vietnamese caught poaching sea cucumbers and other marine life in its waters.

Palau’s president, Tommy Remengesau Jr., said the boats were burned Friday morning. He hopes to turn most of the island nation’s territorial waters into a national marine sanctuary, banning commercial fishing and exports apart from limited areas to be used by domestic fishermen and tourists.

“We wanted to send a very strong message. We will not tolerate any more these pirates who come and steal our resources,” Remengesau said in a phone interview with The Associated Press from Washington, D.C., where he was visiting.

The country created the world’s first shark sanctuary in 2009, but until recently had only one patrol boat to help protect its great hammerheads, leopard sharks and more than 130 other species of shark and rays fighting extinction.
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