NFA values stakeholder consultation when drafting laws: Officer

The National Business

By LULU MAGINDE
THE National Fisheries Authority (NFA) values the consultations held with its various stakeholder committees when drafting fisheries management plans, based on existing legislation.
Responding to a question during a fisheries conference in Port Moresby yesterday about the involvement of the local level governments and provincial authority’s role in the sustainable development of the fishing industry, NFA legal officer Nancy Taka said there were fisheries management plans in place.
“In terms of managing these fisheries, the legislation provides for the fisheries authority to put in place fisheries management plans,” she said.
The drafting process of management plans, involves setting up committees comprised of the major stakeholders involved in the industry.
NFA stakeholder consultations are open sessions, involving members of the scientific community, lecturers from the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), and other interested non-governmental organisations or members of the public.
Of the various species of fish that Taka mentioned, tuna generated majority of revenue in PNG, followed by sea cucumber, crab, lobster, prawns and different reef fish and fish products.
Taka referenced a particular example of sea cucumber, its challenging management system and how there was a moratorium placed on it in 2008 due to over fishing.
“It’s a very challenging market so we make sure we have national consultations in all parts of the country trying to factor in all those involved,” Taka said.
The NFA works closely with the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa), to ensure that the right measures are in place.
“We had a moratorium on sea cucumber for nine years and the stock has grown since then, so we opened the market for it again in 2017,” she said.
Taka said re-introducing sea cucumber into the market was a process that went through vigorous consultation in coordination with a number of scientific surveys from Cepa and University of Papua New Guinea.