Licensing distant-water tuna fleets in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Whe Proclamation was approved by Papua New Guinea's parliament and subsequently given effect by the country's Governor-General when he signed the Offshore Seas Proclamation (1978). By proclamation, Papua New Guinea declared its 200-mile Declared Fisheries Zone (DFZ) in March 1978.1 Papua New Guinea's DFZ, covering 2.3 million square kilometres (kin 2) of the western Pacific Ocean, is the third largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Pacific islands region after Polynesia (5.0 million km 2) and Kiribati (3.6 million km2). Papua New Guinea's DFZ harbours rich and proven tuna fishing grounds that are exploited by domestic and distant-water fleets. Japanese distant-water tuna fleets have fished in the area covered by Papua New Guinea's DFZ since the end of the second world war, and more recently, distant-water fleets of other flag states have joined operations. Papua New Guinea's domestic tuna fleet has operated since 1970. On the basis of biological research undertaken by the government of Papua New Guinea in the early 1970s and together with the more recent results of the Skipjack Survey and Assessment Program conducted by the South Pacific Commission, it is estimated that the country's potential annual yield of tuna from its DFZ significantly exceeds the quantity of tuna currently being harvested. The combined quantities of tuna harvested by foreign fishing vessels (FFVs) and the domestic tuna fleet in Papua New Guinea's DFZ have consistently exceeded 100 000 tonnes per annum since 1974. Given the productivity of the DFZ, the capacity of the world tuna market to absorb production and the Papua New Guinea government's willingness to license FFVs to fish for tuna in its waters, it is expected, at least in the medium term, that the total quantity of tuna landed annually in the DFZ will remain at around established levels. The article commences with a brief description of the exploitation of Papua New Guinea's tuna resources by domestic and distant-water fishing nation fleets. This is followed by an explanation of Papua New Guinea's rationale for licensing distant-water vessels in its DFZ as well as an outline of the country's existing, past and proposed access agreements. The basis for determining access fees payments is explained and terms and conditions of access discussed. Revenue received by Papua New Guinea from licensing distant-water fishing tuna fleets is presented for 1980, 1982 and 1984 together with other data showing the relative importance of revenue earned. Administration and surveillance