State addressing EU fishing concerns

 The state is addressing concerns raised by European Union in regards to fishing activities in the country, National Fisheries Authority says. 

The concerned areas include traceability, conservation and the illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities in PNG waters.

Earlier in the year, PNG was flagged with a ‘yellow card’ on the situation in the country as IUU posed a threat to sustainability of stocks and development. The EU supports the IUU fight in many partner countries around the world – particularly in those that export fishery products to the Union.

NFA deputy managing director Philip Polon said: “Review is already with the Minister (Mao Zeming) we’re anticipating Parliament to debate by mid next year and actual implementation should be after July 2015. 

He said: “Other issue that EU was concerned about is the management plan. We have adopted a system called ‘total allowable catch. This basically looking at the total output you catch and we count and when you reach level that we allow, you stop.

“Regional content is the Vessel Day scheme which we have to adapt. There are four or five key elements; we have done changes that we have. 

“We made changes to licencing policies, squeezed the bilateral. There are a lot of policy issues to do with review of Act. 

“We will tell EU we have the Act in place but won’t be active until review is passed in parliament.”

NFA chairman Job Pomat said: “We are trying to work with them (EU) to address the yellow flag in December in Apia at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) annual meeting in Apia, Samoa.”