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Business |
Pacific stakeholders told to
protect tuna interests
By FRANK ASAELI
STAKEHOLDERS in the
tuna industry have been urged to pay attention to their needs
and aspirations for the long-term benefits of the sector.
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration Minister Samuel Abal said
on Wednesday night at the Airways Hotel poolside that there
should be responsible fishing practices.
“Traders and fish processing operators must stop buying fish
from illegal fishing vessels,” Mr Abal said
He urged for responsible reporting of catch data and right
prices for fish caught.
The Pacific accounts for 50% of world’s landed tuna but did not
feature prominently in the world tuna trade.
The parties to the Nauru Agreement in the forum fisheries agency
contribute almost 90% of the tuna landed annually.
This remarkable contribution from the region unfortunately had
not translated into tangible economic benefit for Pacific Island
nations.
Mr Abal said some of the small Pacific nations were single-line
economic base constituents and were solely reliant on the
fishery sector for their livelihood and foreign exchange.
“I would, therefore, like to urge all the distant water fishing
nations to give serious consideration to develop domestic
capacities including onshore down-streaming processing in the
Pacific nations,” Mr Abal said.
As the small nations make efforts to develop their own domestic
capacities, other capable stakeholders should facilitate this,
he said.
There must be meaningful benefits to constituents whose waters
these fish are caught from and also greater help to develop
their domestic capacities should they wish to do so as resource
owners.
Mr Abal said that as a tuna resource owner, it was a
responsibility PNG had towards its Pacific neighbours and the
global village on tuna issues.
The hosting of inaugural Pacific tuna forum in Port Moresby that
closed yesterday demonstrated the country’s maturity and
responsibility in facilitating co-operation and unity in the
management and sustainable harvesting of tuna fish stocks in our
waters, the minister added.
 
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