A protest against purse seine fishing in Rarotonga, Cook Islands in April 2015 Photo: Phillipa Webb / Cook Islands News
People in the Cook Islands are preparing another protest march against purse-seine fishing this weekend.
The action follows news of a multi-million dollar fishing deal with the European Union which would allow a fleet of Spanish purse seiners to fish in Cook islands waters.
A 4000-plus signature petition calling for a total ban of purse seine fishing in the Cook Islands remains untouched in parliament.
Clerk John Tangi says he will not validate the petition until the Prime Minister Henry Puna indicates a sitting date for parliament.
About 400 people marched through Avarua on Rarotonga in April in the first anti-purse seining protest.
The Minister of Finance Mark Brown says the growth of the fishery will turn it into a significant revenue earner for this financial year, collecting nearly 8-million US dollars in licence fees.