Global Fishing Watch signs MoU with PNG

Papua New Guinea – On 11 October in conjunction with the 17th INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference and Exhibition (TUNA 2022) in Bangkok, Thailand, the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) of Papua New Guinea signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Global Fishing Watch.

Under the terms of the partnership, all 50 vessels from the Fishing Industry Association (FIA) will share their vessel tracking data, which will complement the already existing automatic identification system, or AIS, data that appears on Global Fishing Watch’s map. This  additional layer of information will help strengthen vessel compliance and increase the transparency of its seafood supply chain.

“Our tuna fishery is one of the largest in the western and central Pacific Ocean and represents a key source of protein for more than 9 million people in Papua New Guinea,” said Justin Ilakini, Managing Director of the NFA.

“With support from Global Fishing Watch’s monitoring technology, we can strengthen enforcement, contribute to regional collaboration to eliminate illegal fishing and also demonstrate our commitment to promoting food security and the blue economy”, he added.

Sylvester Pokajam, FIA Chairman said that “Our members want to know they are doing the right thing when it comes to responsible tuna sourcing, and by making fishing activities visible on the Global Fishing Watch map, they can help demonstrate compliance and add real value to their fishing operations.”

Source: INFOFISH International Issue 6/2022 (Nov/Dec 2022)