NIP women urged to join in marine management efforts

WOMEN in New Ireland province have been challenged to join in the work of marine resource management.
The call was made by the only woman participant at the recent Marine Programme Learning and Training Network workshop, Alice Eremas, from Patitap village, in the Lavongai area.
The mother of three boys, Eremas is secretary of the management area committee in her village where she spends time addressing marine conservation.
“I urge my fellow women to stand up and be counted in the work of resources management in our communities,” she said.
“The resources will benefit us and our children and their future generations and when women step in we make a difference.
“The men need our help because it is not just their responsibility so let’s all join in,” she said.
Having lost her husband from the Duke of York Islands five years ago in East New Britain province, she returned home to New Ireland where she saw the importance of conserving and managing marine resources.
Eremas joined the men in their efforts to help conserve their resources and was quickly appointed to be on the management area committee.
Her sons are all grown up now so she took this opportunity do something useful for her community.
She said she loved this job because she got to travel all over New Ireland, meeting people and carrying out awareness.
“I enjoyed the workshop as it enlightened me in many areas of my work,” she said.
“We are considering extending the areas of management in our work to allow for the fish and other marine resources such as clams and sea cucumbers to spawn or breed.
“Conserving and managing of marine resources is a good thing because we have seen the difference in the reefs with lots of fish and we would like to continue to do this work.
“Our only concern is people in the community who do not respect our work and break the laws by fishing in the areas that are closed off as management areas,” she said.
Eremas was appointed to be on the province’s Learning and Training Network advisory committee after the workshop from February 21-23.