Amend marine laws to benefit coastal people

IT seems there is an imbalance in resource ownership laws.
Although the laws state that resources extracted six feet below the land surface belong to the State, land laws allow people to form landowner groups and benefits from development or resources extracted from their land.
The Government is now working to give greater power to people in terms of resource ownership.
While this can be seen as a new dawn for resource ownership laws, marine resource laws destroy coastal people’s livelihood and take away their rights so the Government should do the same.
Coastal people are off grid to this multi-million commercial sector.
Even though we have fish canaries operating in the country, there are no spin-off benefits for the people.
Marine laws prevent ownership of any catch made in PNG waters.
We have no rights to voice our concerns regarding resource ownership and royalty payments.
Whatever that is caught in PNG waters is exclusively owned by the Government.
It is a sorry state as the Government is now concentrating on fixing some laws that are affecting people who claim to be owners of resources.
No attention is given to maritime people.
While amending resource ownership laws to give more benefits to the people, the Government should do the same for people in coastal areas.
Our customary fishing grounds are invaded by fishing vessels.
Tuna is being trapped outside of customary fishing zones by the use of devices such as fish aggregation device, forcing people to benefit only on inshore marine resources.
Many islanders are experiencing depletion of reef fish as a result.
The Government should amend marine laws so that coastal people can benefit from tuna harvested in PNG waters.

Hanam Bill Sandu,
Concerned Citizen,
Wewak Island LLG