Page 34 - IB March 2018 Edition

Business Intelligence

are guided by the established fisheries
observer programme of 1996 and re-
Only 4 vised Act of 1998, one of the five units
under monitoring, compliance and sur-
veillance division to collect information.
He said the observers are trained at
Observers the Kavieng Fisheries College for 11
weeks in basic seamanship before they
are sent out.
He said there are 272 fisheries of-
are missing ficers, one of the largest in the world,
and their welfare and safety, and insur-
ance are covered in performing their
work under section 53 of the Fisheries
at sea Management Act.
He said while they are on board
foreign fishing vessels, the NFA’s man-
aging director usually gives notices to
the vessels on their behalf.
He said under the Act, they are
protected from being intimidated, ha-
rassed, prevented or obstructed from
Marine biologist Keith Davis, who disappeared at sea while working as a fisheries observer in MRAG Americas’ IATTC performing their duties.
Transshipment Observer Programme. Four PNG observers are on the missing list as Davis. Photos: WWF
Basa said they are issued personal
life saving jackets, personal floating
PORT Moresby, Papua New Guinea - Guineans are missing while working as device and access to send message from
Only four Observers have been reported observers at sea. the vessel to headquarters through the
missing in foreign fishing vessels and Basa said according to PNG’s National fisheries information system any time
not 18 says the country’s fisheries and Fisheries Authority records, four observ- of the day or night.
marine resources minister, Patrick Basa. ers had been reported missing at sea since He said if an observer is reported
He made the clarification in response 2008. missing, the vessel is required to stop
to assertions by East Sepik Governor Basa said the observer programme operation and a search-and-rescue
Allan Bird that up to 18 Papua New comes with its functions and training, and takes place within 72 hours.

Developed status for Cooks gainville Mineral and Energy Resources executive Mike Johnston says. Johnston
Rarotonga, Cook Islands - Developed Shadrach Himata says the autonomous said that the company was working with
nation status is coming for the Cook region had issued a total of four mining its financial advisers to find the additional
Islands, and that is something for the explorations licences to date. He said financing. During a recent meeting with
country to be proud of. Those were the companies from Australia, Canada and the Mining Minister Johnson Tuke, John-
words of Prime Minister Henry Puna, the Philippines have taken up interest ston said: “For the project, the final capital
when speaking here during Waitangi in the exploration of various areas in we need to raise an additional roughly
Day celebrations. Although the PM has Bougainville at the request of landowner about US$250 million. And then there is
refuted claims that his meeting with New groups. “We have companies from Aus- working capital and exploration that we
Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in tralia, Canada and the Philippines who are intend to do which brings it up to about
December included talks on the controver- interested in exploration,” Himata said. US$300 million. That’s the final capital,”
sial subject of UN membership, Puna said “Right now we have issued four explo- Johnston said. Meanwhile, the company
that during Ardern’s scheduled visit this ration licences in the Tore area in North is confident that the Solwara 1 project
month, the equally contentious topic of Bougainville and the Central Bougainville will go ahead as planned. Johnston said
graduation would have to be addressed. is the Isina area. The Filipino company, SR the project is set for production next year.
“Whether we like it or not, graduation is Metals, are interested in doing exploration
coming. And for me personally, it’s some- in the eastern part of Isina area in Central Fiji retired teachers off to Kiribati
thing to be proud of, and there is nothing Bougainville.” On the northern part of Suva, Fiji - Ten retired teachers will
to be scared about.” However, Puna added the Tore area, Australian company, Kalia soon leave for Kiribati to work for two
there would also be a need to prepare for Resources, is carrying out exploration. years under the Fiji Volunteer Services
a “readjustment” of Cook Islands foreign Scheme. This is after the signing of a
relations, as well as the country’s develop- Solwara 1 needs more funding memorandum of agreement between
ment aspirations and partnerships. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea - Nau- the Fijian government and the govern-
tilus Minerals needs about US$250 million ment of Kiribati last month. Ministry of
Mining licences in Bougainville more to continue with the development of Employment permanent secretary in Fiji
Buka, Bougainville - Secretary for Bou- the Solwara 1 project in New Ireland, chief Salaseini Dunabuna said the MOA would

34 Islands Business, March 2018