Surveillance of PNGs EEZ lacking
Thur Jul 31, 2008 12:00pm
Government agencies are reportedly still handicapped to address
practices of illegal fishing in the country.
The Managing Director of the National Fisheries Authority, Sylvester
Pokajam said under an existing agreement, the Defense Force is
supposed to do surveillance work around Papua New Guinea waters to
detect such activities.
However, he said the force is facing logistic problems although his
organization allocates about K1m annually for its members to undertake
this vital operation.
"We have an agreement with Defence to carry out a number of patrols
within PNGs exclusive economic zone per year but we do not achieve
this every year because of problems the Defence Force is facing with
its boats breaking down or have other commitments," Mr Pokajam said.
"We do not fulfill these patrols we earmarked each year."
"In the agreement, we are supposed to carry out 10 patrols each year,
we only do about three patrols per year, so it is still very lacking,"
Mr Pokajam said. |
