PNG Demands From USA Zero Duty For Its Canned Tunaff

As condition for Tuna Fishing Rights US fleet

By Atuna

The United States has to grant Papua New Guinea (PNG) comparable access rights to the US home market for tuna products like now is agreed with the European Union (EU) if it wants to continue fishing in the PNG exclusive economic zone.  This is stated by Sylvester Pokajam, head of the PNG National Fisheries Authorities in a conversation with Atuna. PNG is opting out of the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries with the US, because the US refusal to come to negotiating table.

The re-negotiations of the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries -that originally started in 1987- is meant to accommodate changing economic circumstances for PNG and other concerned Small Pacific Island States. Under the current treaty, which expires in 12 months’ time, US fishing vessels  â€“mainly tuna purse seiners-  are allowed to catch in excess 500,000 tons of tuna which could have a final market value of about US$ 2 billion. In return the Pacific nations, including PNG, receive only US$ 21 million in access fees and some development grants.

“This financial package is clearly not enough”, says Mr Pokajam. “But on top of that, the US is using the treaty as an excuse for avoiding our newly implemented conservation rules. This has to be renegotiated too.” US vessels have now unlimited access to the PNG fishing grounds.

But the application of the new rules for sustainable fishing and a higher financial compensation will not be enough to satisfy PNG. It also wants comparable arrangement like the economic partnership agreement (EPA) which recently was accorded with the European Union. This agreement provided access for PNG canned tuna into European markets without any import duties. “If we want to develop an industry with our own resources, this is essential”, Mr. Pokajam says.

According to Mr. Pokajam, already for three years PNG tried to start talks on a new treaty, but without any response. Now, his government formally made the first step to end its participation in the multilateral agreement. PNG is far most the biggest player in the agreement. “As we pull out, the treaty is dead”, says Mr. Pokajam.

If renegotiations fail, this would mean that the US might lose one of its most important tuna fishing grounds from June 2012. According to Mr. Pokajam, the US authorities did not yet react in any way on the pulling out of the treaty of PNG.