Samoa Conservation Society (SCS) has appealed to the country's palolo harvesters to avoid damaging coral reefs when harvesting the marine delicacy.

The non-government organisation made the appeal in a post on its Facebook page on Sunday, amid the arrival of the annual harvesting season which has seen hundreds of people mainly in Savai’i take to the sea in recent days.

“When thousands of people walk on the coral reef to collect palolo, damage to live coral is unavoidable,” said the society.

According to the non-government organisation, “palolo is a Samoan delicacy and eagerly sought after every October and November”. However, it appealed to people to remember that a continued and sustainable palolo harvest into the future, required everyone to look after the home of the palolo which are Samoa’s coral reefs.

“So what can you and villages do to reduce the negative impacts of the palolo harvest?”

To reduce the impact of palolo harvesting on coral reefs, the SCS suggested that people use a kayak, dinghy or paopao to fish for palolo rather than walk on the reef.

“Avoid places where there are large numbers of people fishing together. Village councils should consider limiting numbers allowed at popular palolo fishing spots and don't catch palolo in coral restoration areas, fish reserves and marine protected areas!”

The post by the SCS on its Facebook page also attracted comments from the Matareva Beach Fales which has its own marine conservation site.

“That's why re-enforcement of using canoes, kayaks for palolo harvesting should be in place and first priority (MNRE and Fisheries) walking on the reefs and damaging corals during palolo season should be banned,” said the Matareva Beach Fales.

In January this year the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Assistant C.E.O. Seumalo Afele Faiilagi told the Samoa Observer in an interview that the impact of the palolo season harvesting frenzy on coral reefs warranted attention.

He said the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries and Natural Resource and Environment had the mandate to ensure the country’s marine resources are sustainability used and managed.

The MNRE at that time had already visited a coral reef site at Matautu Lefaga, according to Seumalo, and there was also interest from the Return to Paradise Resort and the Matareva Beach Fales to undertake reef inspection and restoration.