Papua New Guinea currently only processes 30 percent of the fish caught in our waters. Which approximately equates to K900 million.
Richard Maru, Member for Yangoru-Saussia raised concerns on fish caught in PNG waters that continue to be processed in foreign countries due to the non-existent infrastructure needed to do so in country, outcomes of which include the loss of employment opportunities, household incomes and maritime profit worth billions of kina.
During question time in Thursday’s, Parliament Sitting (18 Nov), MP Maru expressed to fellow Parliamentarians the loss of potential revenue for Papua New Guinea in the maritime industry.
“Currently NFA raises about K500 million which comes into the coffers of the national government through the fees that we mainly charge. This industry is worth over 1.2/ 1.5 billion. If we are able to process all the fish in our waters.
“Em bikpla asua, we are losing so many jobs, foreign currency inflow, needs to stop,” Maru said.
MP Maru asked Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Dr Lino Tom to give an update on the industry’s major project, the Pacific Maritime Industrial Zone (PMIZ).
Dr Tom said: “We are good to go. The only problem we have is funding. Funding is something that we can’t really have to start off this good project, because as leaders in this house, we also have our local needs that seem to be pressing, and it’s difficult for us to actually build this transforming infrastructure.”
“Now if we can bring all the tuna here, into a special economic zone and do that business here, we are looking at generating over K2 billion every year in terms of direct revenue coming into this country, not taxes. So that is the reason why PMIZ is an important project that needs to get off the ground as soon as possible.”
Dr Lino Tom expressed, plans for the project exist, the only obstacle that remains is funding.