Photo: Fishing Vessels
According to Justin Ilakini, acting managing director of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), the government needs favorable rules in place to entice vessels to fish in the country's fishing zones under the Papua New Guinea flag.
According to Ilakini, this will boost the country's development of a viable fisheries industry.
In recent years, he added, the number of PNG-flagged vessels had reduced, which was a problem that the NFA was looking into.
“Fishing vessels can decide whether to fish elsewhere,” he said.
“We have to come up with conducive policies to attract fishing vessels to re-flag to PNG and fish in our exclusive economic zone (EEZ).”
The number of PNG-flagged vessels was falling, according to Ilakini, though he didn't have an exact figure.
Sylvester Pokajam, the head of the PNG Fishing Industry Association (PNG FIA), had previously called on the government to loosen fishing restrictions.
As a result of strict work permit and visa procedures, ten PNG-flagged fishing boats relocated offshore in 2019.
The abundance and diversity of Papua New Guinea's fisheries resources, according to the National Fisheries Strategic Plan 2021-30, reflects this complex geography, which includes a 2.7 million square kilometre EEZ that borders Indonesia, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
With a rich and huge EEZ of 2.4 million square kilometres, Papua New Guinea's fisheries potential is yet to be completely realized, although it is one of the most productive in the area.
Reference: Luma, Dale. The National (15 February 2022). “‘Conducive policies’ key”
