The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is increasing its support to the fisheries sector in Papua New Guinea through its new project, OurFish OurFuture.
Through its implementation partner, World Wildlife Fund PNG, the project held a national inception workshop on December 8.
The workshop assessed the current ecosystem-based fisheries management status for PNG and identified gaps where the OurFish OurFuture program can usefully contribute to improving coastal fisheries management, compliance and enforcement, improving private and public partnerships, and improving the resilience of key actors, including youth and women.
“The implementation approach for this program is unique. It will use a community-centered approach to ensure maximum impact and that the people and communities are a core focus of the OurFish OurFuture program,” said USAID Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Joseph Zadrozny while opening the event.
“This community-based management approach demonstrates USAID’s commitment to empower local communities to design and lead initiatives to manage your own resources and improve your own well-being.”
The project will also identify potential members of a national advisory committee that will steer the implementation of the program in PNG over the next four years.
The OurFish OurFuture program aims to address the drivers of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing that are degrading coastal fisheries and biodiversity and negatively impacting local livelihoods, food stability, and maritime security in the Pacific Islands region.