Police, Fisheries team to patrol Gulf of Papua border

The National National

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
A team of police and National Fisheries Authority (NFA) officers will be deployed to patrol the waters between Kikori (Gulf) and Daru (Western) to monitor illegal fishing boats according to police.
Gulf police commander Chief Insp Mariah Johns told The National that the joint operation would focus on illegal fishing and the operation would start next week.
She said the operation would last three months.
She said according to police reports there were more than 10 fishing boats, operating illegally in waters between Gulf and Western.
Chief Insp Johns said the fishing boats were alleged to be from Indonesia.
She said police personnel and the NFA officers from their compliance division would be deployed to check the fishermen and boats.
“There are about 11 boats that were sighted currently fishing out there so we have to do something to stop them.
“They have been catching fish in large quantities illegally.”
Chief Insp Johns said because of the logistical issues facing police, they had not been patrolling the seas and foreign fishing vessels had taken advantage of the lack of monitoring.
Chief Insp Johns said she had put up an operation plan for the police and the NFA officers to patrol the Gulf of Papua to protect PNG’s territorial waters against illegal fishing.

4 comments

  • This is a serious issue which the the current Gov’t has to take note of and fully equip our security force well than play petty politics. Please Authorities take note of this and protect our nation. Stop this reactive management business and encourage proactive management.

  • Thank you PPC Gulf for your timely response to this very serious matter as these illegal fishing boats have been operating between the waters of Gulf (Kikori) Western (Daru) for quite a long time. Most of the local fishermen/women are reportedly involved with the operators of the fishing boats for a lousy money while the illegal aliens of Asian origins get away with the thousands of money at the expense of the local fishermen/women. It is also reported that the illegal Asian fishermen were only interested in the balloon like stuff inside the bellies of the fish and while meat being wasted/thrown away.

  • The PNG defence force should send the navy out their immediately and round those illegal fishing boats. Stop wasting time. They are stealing our resources.

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