KOROR STATE GOVERNMENT MARINE TOUR GUIDE ... - C3

LIVEABOARDS
• Koror State Public Law No. K6-87-98 (as amended by Koror State Public Law
No. K6-124-2001, effective as of approximately November 7, 2001, which,
among other things, repealed Koror State Public Law No. K6-111-2000) This
Koror State Public Law, effective as of April 2, 1998, placed a ban on the erection,
operation or maintenance of a floating hotel in any body of water of the State of
Koror. There was also originally established a moratorium upon the operation of new
live-aboard dive vessels within Koror State waters which was revised by the 2001
amendment to allow the operation of up to seven (7) live aboard dive vessels in
Koror State waters while banning the operation of any new live aboard vessels not
operating at the time of the 2001 amendment, calling for the promulgation of live
aboard dive boat regulations by the Governor and providing for an annual
environmental impact fee to be paid by all operators of such vessels. All live aboard
vessels not “grand fathered” by the 2001 amendment are allowed to transit through
Koror State waters for navigation or interstate or foreign commerce, but are only
allowed to anchor at Malakal Harbor except during emergency situations or if
specifically permitted to anchor elsewhere for scientific or educational research.
Annual environmental impact fees to be paid to Koror State for legal live aboards are
set at one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for vessels with five (5) to ten (10) cabins
and two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) for vessels with eleven (11) to thirty (30)
cabins. All such fees are to be used by Koror State to maintain mooring buoys,
conservation marker buoys and channel markers, to construct or otherwise create a
system at the sea terminal to allow live-aboards to pump sewage and waste water
directly into the sewer system or to construct a holding tank system, or to maintain
any such system. The Bill also provided the following penalties for violations
(including attempt and conspiracy) of its terms: (a) a fine in the amount of $50.00 and
a jail term of up to five (5) days, or both, for the first offense; (b) a fine in the amount
of $100.00 and a jail term of five (5) days for the second offense; and (c) a fine in the
amount of $100.00 and a jail term of ninety (90) days for the third and subsequent
offenses. The law also states that any government employee who violates the law by
processing an application or issuing a permit in violation of its terms will be charged.
Also, the law provides for civil damages against violators and mandates that any
citizen of Koror may bring a suit for damages against a violating party and be entitled
to fifty percent (50%) of the total damages obtained against a violator at trial.
Temporary regulations for legal live-aboards regarding anchorage, mooring,
wastewater, oil and petroleum waste and solid waste disposal are also contained in
the law. They have since been superseded and replaced by regulations promulgated
by the Koror State Governor.
SARDINE PROTECTION
• Koror State Public Law No. K6-95-99 This Koror State Public Law, effective as of
April 28, 1999, prohibits the capture of mekebud (Gold Spotted Herring or
Kerklotsichthys quadrimaculatus), merau (Blue Sprat or Spratelloides delicatulus),
and teber (Hardthead Silverside or Atherinomorus lacunosus) in certain areas and
during certain times of the year, to prohibit the taking or disturbance of marine flora
and fauna in popular tourist sites and to prohibit the sale of mekebud. The law bans
the taking, capturing, netting, catching, containment or removal (or any attempt or
conspiracy to do the same) of the three species from within one hundred (100) yards
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