Korea biggest commercial fisher in the country

By MATTHEW VARI

Sunday, September 11, 2016 (Sunday Chronicle, PNG)

CATCHING a total of 54,000 metric tonnes on average annually- the relationship Papua New Guinea has with (South) Korea was described as impressive.

Speaking on the bilateral agreement with Korea’s fishing industry, the Asian country leads the race since commercial fishing access was granted in 1980.

Deputy Managing Director for National Fisheries Authority, Philip Polon, told those in attendance at the Korea-PNG Dialogue Forum held this week that Korea is a key partner in developing the country’s fisheries resource, being the first to sign up since 1980 through the Korea Overseas Fishing Association (KOFA) that represents major Korean Fishing Companies.

“Our relationship is very impressive- I guess for us is to look forward how we can embrace those relationship. Partnership with Korea began in the 1980s.”

“Entry through fishing access with Korea is not through government but through industry. The industry mobilised itself and came to PNG and asked to negotiate in terms of fishing access.”

“I guess we need to move one step further by strengthening it through State arrangements so that fishing can be recognized like Japanese for instance. Japanese arrangement is both Government and private sector especially on the fishing part of it,” Polon said.

He said the current fishing fleet comprises of 66 vessels the number one fleet in terms of fishing, with the Pilipino fleet smallest of those with access to PNG water, sighting plans from the major fishing company in the Korean fleet Dongwon currently making plans to establish a cannery in Lae.

“On average they roughly harvest around 54,000 metric tonnes every year. The highest has gone as far as 88,000. The lowest in 2015 because of El-Nino it came down to 13,000 metric tonnes.”

“Until recently Dongwong being one of the companies under KOFA has now decided to invest in Lae and while we have signed the national part of it- the provincial part of the arrangement is still being negotiated still, that is why it has taken a bit longer for us to realise.”

“The facility of Dongwong is likely to produce 200 metric tonnes of loin- loin is chunk of tuna that you can export and someone can process it.”

“The investment is anticipated to make 4000 jobs as I said a lot of those jobs will come from our womenfolk.”