By DANIEL KORIMBAO
THE Government intends to make PNG the tuna capital of the world by developing a multi-million kina Madang Marine Park to process Pacific catch.
It has identified an 860-acre site at Vidar, outside Madang.
The Government believes that apart from increasing revenue 10-fold, the project will also create jobs for Papua New Guineans and other Pacific islanders.
The Commerce, Trade and Industry Department, which is developing the concept closely with the Fisheries Authority and industry players, estimates that the project will cost about K100 million.
The project is being pushed at a time when the European Union, the biggest consumer of Pacific tuna, is making conditions more favourable for the import of PNG tuna.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Gabriel Kapris visited the Vidar site this week and will ask the Government to allocate K10 million in the 2008 Budget to get the project off the ground.
The money will be used to complete lead-up work, including technical and engineering surveys and design, environmental and social impact studies, and genealogy studies for landowners who will be involved in the project.
The cabinet, which met yesterday, gave its approval for the park to go ahead.
Officials from the Commerce, Trade and Industry Department are also finalising negotiations with the EU on the issue of duty, and other aspects of the project.
The marine park will have a jetty and wharf for small boats and large purse seiners, fish market, coldrooms, ice-making plant, processing plant, other facilities and a township.
Funding for the project will be sourced from local institutions and overseas.
The world tuna trade is worth US$6.7 billion a year.
PNG contributes 10% of the world tuna catches, but makes less than K100 million from access fees it charges foreign vessels to fish in its waters.
The Government believes that with processing facilities at the marine park, PNG and other Pacific islanders will start to realise the true value of their tuna resources.
Government officials who accompanied Mr Kapris said PNG was also talking to PNA (Parties to Nauru Agreement) to form an alliance and be partners in the project.
It is understood that other countries are also looking at a similar project.