By MOHAMMAD BASHIR
MINNOW of the tuna industry, Papua New Guinea, is threatening to alienate Europe’s industry leader Spain and its processing facilities which are predominantly based in the South American nation of Ecuador.
A Fisheries Industry Consultative meeting yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel,was told that as a direct result, Spain had been engrossed in a smear campaign to divert the attention to the shortcomings of the tariff-free market access PNG and PNA (Parties to the Nauru Agreement, since 1982) has now to the EU.
This is a result of the successful negotiation and ratification of the IEPA in December 2010 to the EU market which is expected to lead an increase in foreign direct investment in the tuna industry in PNG which account for only 4 per cent of the global market.
Maurice Brownjohn of the PNA said regardless of the smear campaign, he encouraged a collaborative effort between the industry and regulatory regimes to harness the opportunity and maximise the benefits.
“A year ago, no one knew where PNA or PNG was,” he said, referring to the sudden desperate attempt by what he called the big boys of the industry like Spain to impress the EU on social implications of the IEPA.
Mr Brownjohn further said: “We are not out to take Spanish fish, jobs or markets. We will welcome their investments but it is not acceptable for PNG to feed industrial nations to compete against us.”
With 10 recommendations by the EU to tighten operational aspects of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) which is already being implemented which included re-flagging all foreign chartered vessels, drew a sharp round of debate. In a highly provocative and frank meeting, NFA officials led by Managing Director Sylvester Pokajam, industry players and associated stakeholders, spoke passionately of the potential of the industry under PNA and the need for sustainable exploitation since pulling out of the US Treaty. PNG has three processing facilities in Lae and one in Madang while the Solomon Islands and Marshall Islands have one each.
With the unbreakable IEPA solidly in place, Spain which is a major fishing and processing nation through its Ecuador ventures, would loose out on 25,000 direct jobs in Europe and 54,000 indirect jobs. In GSP countries, it would loose 35,000 direct jobs and 200,000 indirect jobs while in ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) countries, it would loose 20,000 direct jobs and 300,000 indirect jobs.
Fisheries Industries Association (FIA) Chairman Peter Celso said with the opportunities, there were also pressing challenges that would have to be faced in a collaborative manner.
A Fisheries Industry Consultative meeting yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel,was told that as a direct result, Spain had been engrossed in a smear campaign to divert the attention to the shortcomings of the tariff-free market access PNG and PNA (Parties to the Nauru Agreement, since 1982) has now to the EU.
This is a result of the successful negotiation and ratification of the IEPA in December 2010 to the EU market which is expected to lead an increase in foreign direct investment in the tuna industry in PNG which account for only 4 per cent of the global market.
Maurice Brownjohn of the PNA said regardless of the smear campaign, he encouraged a collaborative effort between the industry and regulatory regimes to harness the opportunity and maximise the benefits.
“A year ago, no one knew where PNA or PNG was,” he said, referring to the sudden desperate attempt by what he called the big boys of the industry like Spain to impress the EU on social implications of the IEPA.
Mr Brownjohn further said: “We are not out to take Spanish fish, jobs or markets. We will welcome their investments but it is not acceptable for PNG to feed industrial nations to compete against us.”
With 10 recommendations by the EU to tighten operational aspects of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) which is already being implemented which included re-flagging all foreign chartered vessels, drew a sharp round of debate. In a highly provocative and frank meeting, NFA officials led by Managing Director Sylvester Pokajam, industry players and associated stakeholders, spoke passionately of the potential of the industry under PNA and the need for sustainable exploitation since pulling out of the US Treaty. PNG has three processing facilities in Lae and one in Madang while the Solomon Islands and Marshall Islands have one each.
With the unbreakable IEPA solidly in place, Spain which is a major fishing and processing nation through its Ecuador ventures, would loose out on 25,000 direct jobs in Europe and 54,000 indirect jobs. In GSP countries, it would loose 35,000 direct jobs and 200,000 indirect jobs while in ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) countries, it would loose 20,000 direct jobs and 300,000 indirect jobs.
Fisheries Industries Association (FIA) Chairman Peter Celso said with the opportunities, there were also pressing challenges that would have to be faced in a collaborative manner.
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