Certification gives PNG a better deal on tuna

Business

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
Papua New Guinea has received the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for tuna fishery, according to Fishing Industry Association (FIA) PNG Inc.
The association said this gave PNG opportunity to apply for full assessment of MSC certification for tuna caught in PNG waters and processed in PNG tuna canneries.
President Sylvester Pokajam said NFA had underpinned the growth of PNA’s Pacifical MSC label but had not benefitted greatly in a way which would justify the investments made.
“FIA members believe it is time to prioritise the market advantage of PNG-processed tuna products
by pursuing an equivalent MSC label.”
The association said the immediate phase of the MSC assessment would cover the PNG licensed in fleet fishing skipjack and yellow-fin fishery, on anchored fish aggregating devices (FADs) and drifting FADs.
Global sourcing will then be considered for assessment and eventually have MSC certification for the prawn fishery.
The FIA said it was now finalising the scope of the assessment with the selected conformity assessment body (CAB).
It aims to have the CAB commence the assessment process as soon as possible. He said an a agreement was signed between National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and FIA this year to formalise FIA as the client and NFA as the support national regulatory agency in the PNG MSC certification process.