Fisheries development in East New Britain has reached another milestone with the successful launching of support for people in small to medium business ventures in the province.
This follows the launching of the ENB Fisheries Micro Small Medium Enterprise support recently at the Provincial Fisheries Station in Rabaul town.
The support comprises of outboard motors, dinghies, deep freezers and eskies worth K250, 000 that will assist the local people in making fishing a viable small business venture.
ENB Provincial Fisheries Coordinator, Dickson Kondaul said this initiative by the provincial fisheries sector will be piloted in the province with counter-funding support from the National Fisheries Authority (NFA).
He commended the support by NFA under the partnership agreement to implement the MOA for fisheries development with provinces.
NFA management recently has lauded the ENB Fisheries sector for having the drive to facilitate and create initiatives and go one step further.
Mr Kondaul said this initiative will empower locals economically and further strengthen the provincial government’s ward policy aimed at alleviating social and law and order problems and promote economic development.
He further urged those that will benefit from the equipment to be appreciative and practice responsibility and ensure they are used for its intended purpose.
The occasion also coincided with the graduation of the first batch of SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Revalidation Training for seafarers in in ENB by the National Fisheries College.
Mr Kondaul said the training was also co-funded and delivered in ENB under the MOA through Enhancing Capacity Building & Training.
Recently NFA provincial support manager, Bolton Towok had also commended the provincial fisheries sector for partnering with NFA to deliver vital training to empower its human resources for the marine industry.