Commemorating World Oceans Day on June 8, 2026, Oro Province Governor Gary Juffa has issued a passionate call for the protection of Papua New Guinea’s vast maritime territory. Recognizing that the ocean is woven into the very fabric of PNG’s identity, culture, economy, and way of life, Governor Juffa emphasized that the health of the ocean is directly tied to the prosperity of the nation.
“For countless coastal and island communities, the sea is their garden, highway, marketplace, and source of sustenance,” Juffa stated, noting that marine resources provide food security and cultural continuity for hundreds of thousands of Papua New Guineans. However, he warned that these ecosystems are under severe threat from climate change, pollution, illegal fishing, and the dangerous emerging pressures of resource extraction.
The Threat of Deep-Sea Mining Governor Juffa strongly cautioned against the growing international push for deep-sea mining, driven by foreign entities he described as “profit and greed merchants”. He reminded the nation of the costly failure of the Solwara One project, which was promised as a revolutionary development but ultimately cost PNG taxpayers over K300 million in losses.
“Humanity’s knowledge of deep ocean ecosystems remains extremely limited,” Juffa warned, stressing that the consequences of deep-sea mining could be profound, resulting in the irreversible destruction of unique habitats and the extinction of species that have not yet been identified. He urged the government and international bodies to strictly apply the precautionary principle, arguing that a lack of complete scientific certainty must never be used as an excuse to proceed with potentially devastating environmental extraction. The burden of proof, he insisted, must rest on those pushing to exploit the ocean, not those trying to protect it.
A Call for Sovereignty and Strict Enforcement Highlighting a severe lack of sovereign control, Governor Juffa exposed the vulnerabilities in PNG’s current maritime security. He noted that the Pacific has become a haven for transnational criminal organizations operating at will, engaging in drug and human trafficking, as well as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. He further expressed concern that currently, not a single fishing vessel operating in the country is owned by a Papua New Guinean, while foreign investors—whom he likened to “modern-day pirates”—plunder hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of marine resources.
“Conservation without enforcement, is merely an aspiration,” Juffa declared. He criticized the nation’s outdated surveillance technology, which fails to track “dark ships” that turn off their transponders to illegally extract tuna from PNG’s world-renowned breeding grounds. To make conservation meaningful, the Governor called for urgent investments in modern satellite and aerial monitoring, new patrol vessels, stronger legislation, and tougher penalties for maritime offenses.
Protecting the Future Governor Juffa concluded his World Oceans Day address by championing the traditional knowledge systems, customary marine tenure, and community-based stewardship that have protected PNG’s waters for generations. He called upon all elected leaders to fulfill their responsibility to protect coastal communities across Milne Bay, Manus, New Ireland, East Sepik, Bougainville, West New Britain, and beyond.
“Future generations will not judge us by how many tons of minerals we extracted from the seabed,” Juffa stated. “They will judge us by whether we protected the oceans that sustain life itself.”
He firmly requested that any future marine conservation commitments be matched by strict national sovereignty, robust scientific integrity, and the practical enforcement capabilities necessary to secure a lasting legacy for the people of Papua New Guinea.