National Fisheries Authority

The group of 17 staff from the National Fisheries Authority received a Graduate Certificate in Research through the project 'Building Research and Project Management Skills in Fisheries Staff in Papua New Guinea.'

The project is funded by the Australian Government’s Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in partnership with the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and delivered by the University of Tasmania.

However, concerns have also been raised about law enforcement agencies, including National Fisheries Authority, appearing to have been compromised and cannot discharge their constitutional duties with impartiality.

These were among a number of serious issues raised at an urgent top-level meeting convened by Governor Titus Philemon at his office in Alotau on Tuesday (Jan 11).

Fisheries Minister Mao Zeming made the announcement after the United Nation’s General Assembly ratified May 2 as the World Tuna Day.

“It is important that our people, particularly our children, gain more knowledge about tuna and understand the conservative measures that are in place to protect this valuable resource,” he said. 

Zeming added that “our waters  are home to 70% of the world’s tuna and with the right management and conservation mechanism in place, this resource will support our livelihood for generations to come.”

The market, located a couple of hundred metres from the main Koki Market and Wanigela Village, was officially launched today by NCD Governor Powes Parkop.

The K10 million market is a public-private partnership between NCDC, National Fisheries Authority, National Forest Products and Puma Energy.

It features ample parking space, a jetty and 90 stalls, toilet facilities, an ice-making machine, four floating pontoons and fuel vending facilities.

This was the speech given by Managing Director of National Fisheries Authority John Kasau when presenting a brand new vehicle to Port Moresby Police.

“We would like to sustain our relationship with PNG Police Royal Constabulary (PNGRC) in upholding the law and ensuring sustainable fishing management.”

“With MoU in-place between police and NFA to enforce law of fishing on the waters of PNG, we have done well and would like to continue do well in fighting illegal fishing,” Kasau said.

He made the call to Fisheries Minister, Mao Zeming, today in Parliament House following the seizing of illegal fishing vessels and the confiscation of a sizeable quantity of beche-de-mer.

Wesley said recent discoveries in the illegal collection of the bech-de-mer has raised suspicions of alleged collusion between an NFA officer (named) and operators of the illegal vessels.

He raised a number of factors, which he said raised suspicions and they include:

He said this during, Parliament session today, when calling for an investigation into alleged collusion between National Fisheries Authority officers and illegal fishing vessels in his province of Milne Bay.

Wesley said the moratorium was not working as many illegal fishing vessels accessed their sea to harvest beche-de-mer.

He said Samaria–Murua had the biggest maritime zone and was used by many locals for economic benefits before the moratorium seven years ago.

Police in Milne Bay together with the National Fisheries Authority as well as the PNG Customs are working together after five illegal fishing vessels were spotted by villagers off the outer coastal islands of the province.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding took place in Port Moresby on Monday Dec 21.

The program will be taught in collaboration with the National Fisheries College (NFC) which  will foster the provision of training opportunities and offer assistance to facilitate and develop a high quality fisheries training program.

Acting Secretary for Education Dr Uke Kombra said the program would  create more skilled Papua New Guineans who should make a living for themselves and at the same time also contribute to the economic development of the country.