Report on the Implementation of the derogation to ... - Trade Websites

Final <strong>Report</strong>
RoO Derogation under the PACP-IEPA
Catch by area
The majority of the catch in PNG waters is taken within the EEZ (i.e. outside territorial seas and
archipelagic waters), by all vessel categories. Fishing in archipelagic waters is generally restricted to
PNG-flag vessels and smaller chartered vessels, although some exemptions conditional upon unloading
fish to PNG processing facilities have been granted to foreign vessels (Philippines flag) since 2007,
allowing them to fish periodically in archipelagic waters.
Whilst exact figures on catch by individual vessels in archipelagic waters are difficult to obtain, Table 3.4
below indicates that on average, around 16% of the total PNG catch was taken from 2006-2010. PNG
flag vessels, which fish almost exclusively in archipelagic waters, account for around one-third of this
catch. The small-medium chartered vessels (Philippines flag) account for most of the remainder, with
small amounts taken by foreign vessels (Philippines flag) under the concessional arrangements as
outlined earlier. No detailed breakdown of the archipelagic waters catch for these vessels is available
from the analysis of logsheet data, 20 although positional data are available from the PNG VMS database.
With the large increase in the total catch in PNG waters in 2010 (and 2011), archipelagic waters are
becoming proportionally less important as a fishing area, and with the advent of the global sourcing
derogation, enjoy no distinctive advantage in terms of EU market access. However, exemptions offered
under the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS) continue to apply to purse seine vessels when fishing within
archipelagic waters (see Section 5.4.2). There are no fisheries management arrangements applying
specifically to archipelagic waters in PNG, other than restrictions on access relating to vessel licensing
classes.
Table 3.4 Catch in PNG archipelagic waters (mt), 2006-2010
Fishing Fleet 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Ave.
2006-
2010
PNG-flag (domestic) in AW 18,659 20,826 31,106 34,688 27,972 26,650
Locally-based foreign (chartered) catch in AW 32,125 49,204 53,711 64,947 53,549 51,644
Total archipelagic waters catch (mt) 50,784 70,030 84,817 99,635 81,521 77,357
PNG domestic fleet catch as % AW catch 37% 30% 37% 35% 34% 34%
AW catch as % of total catch in PNG waters 11% 15% 17% 23% 12% 16%
Source: NFA and SPC databases, 2011
Trends in catch and vessel numbers
The numbers of vessels licensed to fish in PNG waters have been increasing steadily since 2008 in each
of the three access categories (Table 3.1).
20 Data from one company (RD Tuna) indicate that 7% of their catch by chartered vessels was taken outside AW in
the period 2007-2010 inclusive; the % catch outside AW waters is assumed to be similar for the second smaller
fleet of chartered small-medium vessels (Frabelle - 3 vessels).
Linpico s.a.r.l. Page 20