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Pacific nations eyeing wider economic zone

PAPUA New Guinea is among six other Pacific nations that are continuing to push for expansion of their maritime juristiction.
Representatives which include those from the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea are in Brisbane discussing how they can secure rights over fish stocks, deep-sea minerals, oil and gas further out to sea.
PNG ambassador to the United Nations Robert Aisi says if the UN agrees to extend the boundaries there will be many positives for Pacific communities.
“The protection of the Pacific region for the benefit of our people and our future generations was just as important as the contribution we make to the global community and probably that is one of the things that we don’t talk about often,” he said.
PNG’s fisheries zone covers about 2.4 million square kilometres and encompasses reef systems, numerous islands and a long coastline.