NGI and Madang to fight seabed mining

THE indigenous people of New Ireland, East New Britain and Madang provinces are to launch a strong campaign against seabed mining in the Bismarck archipelago.
This resolution was made after a Seabed Mining Forum in Kokopo, East New Britain, late last week that saw the attendance of more than 30 participants representing non-governmental organisations and three provincial governments.
The forum was to gauge views on seabed mining issues and together develop common understanding on the environmental impact of seabed mining.
The participants signed a forum statement affirming the launch of a strong campaign against seabed mining, to promote awareness on seabed mining within all levels of government and sectors of the Bismarck archipelago communities with respect to the inevitable harm that would be caused to the eco-systems and marine bio-diversity of the seabed.
The group is also concerned about the speed with which the national government granted the licence to Nautilus Minerals and the government’s failure, through its state agencies, to properly and scientifically justify the granting and approval of the licence to Nautilus, the company that would be doing seabed mining.