The Ministry of Fisheries has announced a four-month seasonal closure on all species of Grouper (Kawakawa) and Coral Trout (Donu) to safeguard the fish during their critical spawning period.

The ban will come into force on June 1, 2026, and remain in place until September 30, 2026.

In a public notice, Acting Permanent Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry Saimone Tauvoli stated that the restrictions apply to a wide range of activities involving the two fish species. Throughout the closure period, fishing, collecting, selling, displaying for sale, transporting, receiving, possessing, dealing in, and exporting Kawakawa and Donu will be prohibited.

The Ministry clarified that transportation of the species between local markets, including movements from Vanua Levu to Viti Levu, will also not be permitted during the ban.

For fish caught before the closure takes effect, vendors and fishermen have until 11:00pm on Sunday, May 31, 2026, to sell their remaining stock within Fiji.

Any unsold fish must be frozen, properly bagged, and labelled with the name of the fisherman or vendor along with the date the stock was received. These products must remain in storage and cannot be sold while the seasonal closure is in effect.

The Ministry has also directed all fishermen and vendors holding frozen stock to submit written details of their quantities to the relevant Divisional Fisheries Office by June 1, 2026. The stored fish must also be made available for inspection when required.

The seasonal closure is enforced under Regulation 4 of the Offshore Fisheries Management Regulation, which prohibits the killing, taking, landing, selling, transporting, receiving, possessing, or dealing in fish species listed under Schedule 2A during the specified period.

Authorities have warned that breaches of the regulation constitute an offence and are urging fishers, seafood traders, exporters, and the public to comply with the restrictions in support of sustainable fisheries management and the protection of Fiji’s marine resources.