By FRANK ASAELI
PAPUA New Guinea will soon set up its first ever multi-million kina marine research institute with the signing of a deal between the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and contractor Yatala Ltd.
The NFA-funded facility that would benefit the country’s marine products will rise on Nago Island in Kavieng at the cost of more than K3 million.
Sylvester Pokajam, NFA managing director, said the facility will be referred to as the Institute for Marine Resources (IMR).
“The signing of the memorandum of agreement (MoA) will kick off the
construction of facility,” he said.
It will include a hatchery and nursery for marine species to help increase and sustain cultured marine population, especially the Bech-der-mer which had been depleted in most areas in the country.
The facility’s year-long construction will begin next month.
Mr Pokajam said in the long run the idea was to make the institute sustainable - the institute would deliver fishery programmes to enhance fishery workers’ skills and research of marine products.
He said the facility would also have a tourism component and a jetty to be would be built outside of Nago on Musa Island.
Mr Pokajam said the project had been delayed for quite some time due to some minor problems with Asian Development Bank, which were solved eventually.
The project was initiated by the ADB. However, NFA could not continue with ADB as the PNG government was to fund more than 70% of the project. Because of this, NFA decided to meet the cost itself.
The construction of the facility was awarded to Yatala because the board of NFA felt that it had met all the requirements.
NFA’s executive manager for projects Ronald Kuk said they would also deal with local fisherman.
NFA would sell hatched or baby marine species to fishermen for propagation in their sea-farms.
Daryl Haste, Yatala manager, thanked NFA for its support especially on the funding side of the project.