Proper management of mud crabs vital, workshop told

PROPER management of mud crabs is important to make it sustainable for resource owners, a workshop heard recently.
This was highlighted in the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) week-long stakeholder consultation workshop on the Mud Crab Fishery, with relevant stakeholders to review the National Mud Crab Fishery Plan 2019. In line with a gazettal of the first National Mud Crab Management Plan in 2019, this is the first management plan review done by the NFA to address implementation issues.
It also provides information on the biology, ecology and socioeconomics that impact this fishery, to ensure effective management and sustainability of the mud crab fishery.
The objectives of the management plan are to ensure long term livelihood benefits for resource owners, maintain all species of mud crabs at biological sustainable levels, and sustain economic benefits to enable participatory of all relevant stakeholders in the management of this fishery. The review of the plan involves point of views from government agencies, licensed operators, buyers, resources owners, provincial administrations, Conservation and Environment Protection
Authority (CEPA), academia (UPNG), private citizens discussing suite of issues from licensing, exportation, marketing and many other challenges encountered in the mud crab fishery.