Monitoring of fisheries to continue

PAPUA New Guinea will continue to have its observers on its domestic fishing and carrier vessels while following strict health measures, according to the PNG Fishing Industry Association Inc.
President Sylvester Pokajam said this in light of recent actions by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to suspend or waive 100 per cent observer coverage on all purse seine vessels fishing and transshipping in Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) waters as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pacific fisheries officials last month extended the suspension of 100 per cent observer coverage requirements on all purse-seiners fishing in the waters of member-nations to July 31.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission in a circular endorsed the extension of the measure, stating that the “temporary suspension will apply to new trips after a vessel operator has met any requirement for repatriation of observers currently onboard a vessel.”
As part of the temporary suspension, vessel monitoring system requirements that apply to purse-seine vessels during FAD closure periods will also apply to purse-seine vessels that are not carrying observers.
Pokajam said the Government while considering the importance of food security, income generation and employment of its citizens, allowed domestic vessels which are the PNG flagged and locally-based foreign vessels to continue to undertake port calls for discharging of fish as well as other foreign bilaterals to carry out transshipments in its designated ports.
Pokajam said State of Emergency Controller David Manning also approved the disembarking and placement of local observers on the domestic vessels.
The country has 250 PNG-trained observers marine stewardship council qualified observers.