|
Business |
NFA mulls new fisheries projects
K1million set aside
for management, support programmes
By BAEAU TAI
THE National Fisheries Authority (NFA) will carry out new
initiatives this year to further develop the fisheries sector.
This year NFA has budgeted K1 million to carry out fisheries
management and support programme with provincial fisheries
divisions.
This is apart from a total of K3.5 million it released to support
provinces in terms of renovation of provincial fisheries offices
and provide new computers and office equipment.
Other initiatives that had been undertaken included the
development of fisheries diploma and degree programmes in
partnership with Vudal University, creation of fisheries
co-operative societies and facilitating the participation of Papua
New Guinea fish processing companies in international seafood
shows.
Fisheries Minister Ben Semri said last Friday there were ongoing
development initiatives underway.
“I recognise that one of the key strengths of the NFA is its
ability to identify challenges in the fisheries sector and to
reposition itself so as to be responsive and attentive to its key
stakeholders,” he said.
Major changes had already been made in the manner the “purse
seine” tuna fishery is managed in the region from managing vessel
capacity or vessel numbers to the trial implementation of the
vessel day scheme.
“In effect this would mean that PNG will sell fishing days or
fishing effort to purse seine vessels that fish in PNG waters.”
PNG has a total allocation of around 7,900 days which would be
sold to all purse seine vessels that fish in PNG waters.
“PNG is a leader in tuna fishery management. We have an active
national tuna management plan, a party to the Palau arrangement
which manages purse seine tuna fishing in the region and a fish
aggregating device management policy.”
“Our enforcement programmes are also second to none, which can be
seen in the ongoing arrangement between NFA and the PNG Defence
Force for K1 million for 10 surveillance trips per year,” Mr Semri
said.
Since 2002, a total of 35 patrols have been made.
The success of this programme was in apprehending illegal fishing
vessels in NFA generating a total of K5.6 million from prosecution
of illegal vessels.
Last year, NFA purchased two small crafts to be based in Vanimo
and Daru. This year, it plans to purchase another two slightly
bigger patrol crafts to join the other two vessels.
In the terms of fish management, more stock assessments and
surveys will be carried out.
For tuna in particular, the tagging programme which commenced last
year in partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific cdommunity
will continue as well as assessment on the impact of fishing
around aggregating devices. The tagging project will attempt to
determine what the many different parameters of the three
different tuna species (skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye) in PNG
waters including, their movement patterns, some aspects of their
biology and feeding requirements.
A similar tagging study will be carried out in other Pacific
Island countries based on the findings of the PNG study.
This project is funded through AusAID and New Zealand Aid.
PNG through the NFA has contributed K700,000 to the project.
 
|
