SAMARAI-MURUA District launched its fishing program at Bwagaoia Station on Misima Island on Friday.
The day was filled with singing groups, traditional performances and a live band who entertained the delegates and people who had gathered from the neighbouring islands and around Misima to witness the occasion.
Member for Samarai-Murua Hon. Isi Henry Leonard in his official remarks, said he shared a similar vision with others since the closure of the Misima Mines in 2004.
It had been 27 long years from 1998 to 2025 and this vision of the people and dream was now becoming a reality.
He said this fishing program was the wisdom of his people, and the mine closure committee who had talked about a project of this magnitude that would bring change and an impact to their lives.
Adding that this started off as a dream and this was the story of what the mines committee representing the people wanted to achieve after the closure of the mines for the island and the district.
“Only when you know where came from and only where you are, then you can see what is ahead and that is the future. When you are certain of your past, your present is where you can gauge your future with confidence,” Mr Leonard said.
He said it was time for Samarai-Murua district to realise its full potential through the Coastal Fisheries Program with the National Fisheries Authority who had approved the fishing license and export license to go ahead with the project.
“We have a boat Kekeisi -1 , a fishing license, we have a secured market, and for us we reverse engineer the process, we start from the market to where the technology and expertise are and bring them back to the district to do the coastal fisheries program.
There is a model we are working towards, and it is kekeisi (Small Small) fishing program and the concept is different from the usual. We have to secure the market for our resources from fishing. There is no market in the country for our resources that is the reason we have to secure the Thai market overseas.
He indicated that shore base facilities for fishing were expensive and had too many infrastructure developments.
“We have to bring in the factory fishing boat that will catch fish and be packaged in its freezers carrying 3000 metric tonnes of fish at any one trip. We will give you ice boxes, fishing lines and we will go into boat building to also help you fish,” Mr Leonard told his people.
Indicating that it was the way forward for his people on the islands through coastal fishing.
Mr Leonard acknowledged NFA for processing the approval of the fishing and export licenses among other requirements so that the district could launch the project.
He also pointed out the purpose of setting up the Mama Bank branch in the district to cater for convenience in its fishing program among other economic stimulus projects for the district as there were no banking facilities since the closure of the mines.
NFA Executive Manager Fisheries Development and Liasion Business Group Joshua Ryan while representing the NFA CEO Mr Justin Ilakini, recognized the efforts of Member Hon. Leonard for his foresight, leadership and conceptualizing and materializing this initiative.
“The government of PNG is committed to developing our oceanic and coastal fisheries sector through close collaboration with all the 14 maritime provinces of PNG. We do this by entering into memorandum of agreements (MOA) with each of the 14 maritime provinces and Milne Bay is no different,” Mr Ryan said.
The MOA with NFA and Milne Bay was signed in November 2023 by Minister for Fisheries’ and Marine Resources Hon. Jelta Wong Milne Bay Governor Hon. Gordon Wesley.
The MOA provides the framework for a formal arrangement for the NFA to work with the provinces as necessitated by the organic law on local and provincial level government.
Mr Ryan said the NFA had a good working relationship with the Milne Bay Provincial Administration and assists the province in delivery of fisheries management and enforcement functions that is also extended to fisheries development as witnessed in the building of a number of jetties in the province, trap net projects, and sea weed projects in collaboration with the development partners among others.
Further adding that NFA also supported through its health, education and social sectors as part of its social corporate responsibilities to the communities.
“The Samarai-Murua DDA’s initiative to participate in developing its coastal fisheries for its people is not only a good start but one that is well over due and NFA commends you and your DDA for a bold step.
“Backed with the package of capital created through the Mama Bank’s services to support boat building program for fishing and logistics, this is a promising model that has the potential to be scaled out to the other 13 maritime provinces throughout our country,” Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan was accompanied by NFA Executive Manager Licensing and Data Management and Business Group Jerome Tioti among other delegates.
