More infrastructure is needed to support the growth of the fishing industry in Papua New Guinea.
National Fisheries Authority Managing Director, John Kasu, expressed this while opening a K10.2 million learning facility for the Kavieng Fisheries College.
The learning facility, mostly made up of tutor rooms, was jointly funded by the National Fisheries Authority and National Planning Department.
Over the past 10 years, little support has been given by the government. However, with a number of key policies and priorities to improve the fishing sector; the support to this college is now vital.
“This infrastructure is to help the college expand its programs and grow the fishing industry,” said Kasu.
For the college, it has grown from strength to strength, since it was moulded into a premier fisheries institution in the 1990s. College Principal Jeff Kinch says the college is expanding, given the growth for PNG’s fishing sector.
A fishing vessel and a research facility on Nago Island were also launched.
The vessel, FTV Pokajam, is a 17 metre training vessel equipped with long line and bottom fishing equipment. The boat is handy for studies carried out by students, further training and also research purposes.
Nago Island Mariculture and Research Facility is a centre of excellence for the National Fisheries Authority, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region.
