Licensing distant-water tuna fleets : the experience of Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Papua New Guinea has a Declared Fisheries Zone (DFZ) covering 2.3 million square kilometers of the western Pacific Ocean. The extensive tuna resources found in the DFZ are only lightly exploited by the domestic industry fishing and as a result the government encourages exploitation of the fishery by distant-water fishing nation fleets. Currently, Papua New Guinea has two access agreements with distant-water fishing nations. However, foreign fishing vessels (FFVs) from other flag states are also licensed under the terms and conditions of these agreements in a non-discriminatory manner. The paper explains the determination of access fee payments for distant-water fishing fleets and the terms and conditions of access for FFVs required by Papua New Guinea. Receipts for selected years from distant-water fishing operations in the country's DFZ are presented. The paper addresses aspects of Papua New Guinea's administration and surveillance of its distant-water tuna fishery and compliance issues. Regional considerations as they affect Papua New Guinea's licensing of distant-water fleets is briefly reviewed and some concluding comments made as to how Papua New Guinea has fared in licensing distant-water tuna fleets in its DFZ.