The Lorengau Fisheries Facility was launched on 25th April with the re-commissioning of the fish market. Prime Minister James Marape and Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom launched the facilities. They were accompanied by other Government Heads of state.
Pomalieu Nangesan - Parliamentary Chairman to Natural Resource Center, said Manus has a vast sea landmass and with this development of coastal fisheries, the Manus people and provincial government appreciate and acknowledge the launching of this project and the support of the stakeholders.
Ambassador of Japan to Papua New Guinea Nobuyuki Watanabe said Japan has a deep relationship with Manus especially in the agriculture field.
The Japan Conservatory has imported almost 40 thousand tuna from this area and therefore close in relation with the fisheries field in Manus and PNG.
He said in some fishery ports in PNG, Japan has a corporation in place that has helped to construct fisheries centres.
Japan donated to the facility in Manus container refrigerators with a dispatch of Japanese fisheries experts working in collaboration with the National Fisheries Authority to broaden and promote fisheries.
NFA Acting Managing Director Justin Ilakili told PM Marape, "Under your government you gave a clear directive to fisheries through Minister Dr Lino Tom to have a sector that is broad based. A sector that is
not dependent on tuna and all of you know that tuna fishery is PNGs most biggest and valuable resource. But the majority of people do not directly participate in tuna. They participate in coastal fisheries, inland fisheries and our culture fisheries. So in response to the government directive, for a little over two and a half years, we did everything possible to make sure that we respond to the policy directive and PM this afternoon you are here to witness an implementation of that policy where we have worked very closely with development partners like JICA under a bilateral agreement with an important partner like Japan. Through JICA and OHCF in building vital coastal fisheries development facilities and infrastructures in coastal maritime provinces."
The next couple of days in collaboration with Manus fisheries office, NFA officers will be visiting a number of fisheries cooperatives in Manus, to help them set up.
Mr Ilakili said that fisheries in Manus would be the only resource that the people are able to identify with. In recognition of that, NFA, under a strategic plan launched by PM in 2021, made a concerted effort to ensure that 80 to 90 per cent of people involved in the fisheries sector, especially coastal fisheries, can directly participate through a number of empowerment project initiatives.
He was delighted to see that some of the projects have come to fruition like the Women's fisheries program.
Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom in his brief remarks reiterated that what he witnessed at the launch of the facility was the realization of his vision.
"We realized that tuna (which) caters (for) up to 95% of the revenue we generate in NFA and big companies, actually partake in this industry, but the village do not take part in it. The vision of the government is to reach out to those in the villages and in line with that we are trying to promote coastal fisheries, inland fisheries and the like. And with the facility we have now, we thank the Japanese government as we have a lot of partnership programs and projects with them."
The facility makes it easy and safe for the people process and to store their catch while maintaining and integrating the quality of the fish. This helps to put money back into their pockets.
Dr Lino Tom said the next phase of the project is the construction of a jetty for the fishermen to properly bring in their catch. This initiative will cost NFA around K5million kina.
Another initiative is the Drauke Special Fishing Hub that was decided by the government who set aside K30million at the direction of the Prime Minister. Dr Tom said as soon as the plans and programs are in place, they would use allocated funds to develop the area and create income for the people.
The local contractor that helped in the recommissioned facility, presented the key to PM Marape to officially open the doors to the facility.
PM thanked and congratulated Dr Tom and all involved in realizing the completion of the facility and of the many other initiatives to come.