NFA working with partners to combat illegal fishing

THE National Fisheries Authority (NFA) says it is working with its partners to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Managing director Justin Ilakini said the NFA has established a robust monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) system to regulate all licensed fishing vessels within PNG waters.
The National Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) ensures a real time 24-hour surveillance of these vessels from the NFA’s national command centre in Port Moresby.
In partnership with the PNG Defence Force’s Maritime Element, annual sea and aerial surveillance exercises are conducted within PNG’s jurisdiction.
These are further bolstered by ship rider arrangements with international allies including Australia, the United States, and France, thereby enhancing PNG’s capabilities and ensuring a consistent presence to monitor activities at sea, both in PNG and regionally.
A major study by the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) in 2021 indicated significant progress in combating IUU fishing.
This report showed a reduction in the estimated total volume of tuna product linked to IUU activities in the Pacific from 306,440 tonnes, valued at K2.46 billion (2010-2015), to 192,186 tonnes, valued at approximately K1.23 billion (2017-2019) which meant monitoring efforts were working to address the problem.
This reduction demonstrates the tireless efforts that is geared towards combating IUU fishing activities both in PNG and the region.